


My Guardian Demon

by GlitterSkullFairy



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: (I know I never thought I would either), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Mazikeen (Lucifer TV), Blood Kink, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Sex, Linda knows best, Multi, POV First Person, Post-Devil Face Reveal to Chloe Decker, Post-Season/Series 03, Romance, Some Plot, Therapy, Wing Grooming, eventual OT3, tribe night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-10-17 17:33:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 51,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17564930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterSkullFairy/pseuds/GlitterSkullFairy
Summary: A slightly different angle on the post season 3 ending.A very battered demon has just collapsed in Linda's office and they have a lot to talk about.Also, Lucifer has too many problems to count; Chloe has "a lot to process;"  Trixie just lost her best friend; Dan is about ready to fall apart, and who gets to pick up all the pieces?On top of all that, there may or may not be some Divine retribution on the way, because of the age-old curse of Cain.





	1. 12 People, 4 Miles

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be bigger than anything I have attempted before, but the ideas just kept growing.  
> Also, the gorgeous and awesome FluffyGlitterPantsDragon has made me the happiest lady alive by accepting my proposal and agreeing to be my offical beta. I have of lots of work for her now. Mwahaha!  
> Tags will be updated and amended as the chapter count goes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter one begins about 15 minutes into the final episode "Devil of my Word" and then continues after the scene where Maze and Linda make up. The chapter title is taken from that scene.
> 
> Thank you FluffyGlitterPantsDragon!

Maze was collapsed on the floor, soaked in blood. I just stood there, holding a bloody knife, and the only thing I could think was that I was glad my friend was back. _When did this become normal?_ Finally it occurred to me that I ought to be doing something. Even if I wasn’t a medical doctor. 

It was easy enough to roll her into the recovery position. I grabbed everything I could out of the first aid cabinet and carried it over to the table. I stared at the blue nitrile gloves- even if she couldn’t be infected by human diseases, I had no idea whose blood this was, so I put on a pair and started to clean up some of the mess. What on earth had happened to her? There’d been a fight, that much was obvious from the bruises. But Maze was good at fighting, she shouldn’t be this bad. Also, there was a pair of handcuffs dangling from one wrist- not the weak, kinky sex kind, but proper sturdy ones that might even have been police issue. Which begged the question, who could do this? 

She’d said something about someone trying to kill me, stayed upright just long enough to make sure I was okay, and then passed out on my carpet. So she must have been worried about me. So maybe she didn’t really hate me after all, and maybe we could actually fix the trainwreck our friendship had turned into. I went through half a dozen cleansing pads before she was starting to look like herself again. She was so fierce, so beautiful. How could someone this passionate not have a soul? Her actions today proved that she has a heart though, and maybe that heart was just as bruised as her body was.

There was still too much blood. I started cleaning up her arms, wiping softly down from her shoulders towards her hands. Most of the blood wasn’t hers, which was a relief if not a surprise. There was a cut on her left arm that could do with bandaging, and another small one on her right that was half closed. Do demons heal as fast as angels? Do they get infected? Not sure. Better stick a band-aid on just in case. The larger wound was still seeping blood slowly, so I saw to that first. I pressed a clean dressing onto it, and when I wrapped the bandage around tightly Maze didn’t even stir.

Right, check for any other injuries. The corset and tight leather top seemed to have served rather well as armour, as well as doing all sorts of wonderful things with her figure. Not that she needed it. _And why start thinking about that now?_ Her leggings were dirty, but intact. So that just left waiting. There were no more clients scheduled in for the rest of the afternoon, so I needn’t worry about Maze scaring anyone else. But it didn’t feel right leaving her on the floor. I slipped my feet out of my pumps, no way was I going to attempt this in heels, and knelt down beside her. I pulled one of her arms over my shoulders, and held it in place, and then supported her around the waist. Pushing up with my legs, I managed to stumble the few steps to the couch and fall onto it. Her head felt so heavy as I settled her comfortably on a cushion. And then I sat down to wait, because there was no way I was leaving her side.

***

“Don’t worry, you’re safe. Everything’s going to be fine.”

She looked so completely sure as she said it, that I had to believe her. “What happened?”

“Pierce and I had a disagreement. He told me someone was going to hurt you, but it was just a bluff to catch me off guard, I think. Unfortunately, it worked. But I escaped.”

“And came straight here. Thank you,” I said, “for coming to save me.”

“Even though you didn’t really need saving?”

I felt a smile tease the corners of my mouth. “Well, my life wasn’t in immediate danger, but I’m still glad you’re here. It’s good to know you still care.” 

Maze looked at me with soft, beautiful eyes, and her tongue peeked out briefly to lick her lips. “Is this what caring feels like?”

“How does it feel?” I asked, cautiously. She was opening up more than she ever had, but I didn’t want to scare her out of it.

She rolled one shoulder with a grimace. “It fucking hurts. But the thought of you not being there makes my head spin and my chest tight… I’m afraid of losing you?” She huffed, falling back against the couch. “Well that sucks.”

I nodded, managed not to laugh. Her directness was so refreshing. “It does. But it also comes with better stuff too. Like all the fun we used to have hanging out together.”

“We were pretty awesome.”

“Up until the point we started fighting. And we still haven’t had a proper conversation about the whole Amenadiel situation.”

“Ugh! Do we have to?”

“Yes, Maze, we have to. Apologies mean a lot, but I need to understand. You made me give up someone who was very important to me, and even after I broke it off you still wouldn’t talk.”

“You lied, and you snuck around behind my back!” she snapped.

“Yes, but…” I gazed at the hurt look on Maze’s face, and I realised there was more going on. “It wasn’t just about him, was it?”

“Linda,” she began, as if about to explain, but then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“But that’s just it, Maze, it does matter. It mattered a lot to you, and it matters to me. That’s what friendship is about, sharing the things that are important to you.”

“ _You’re_ important to me!”

“Then why treat me like that? Why wouldn’t you let me make it up to you?” I stood up and started pacing the room in frustration. My emotions were getting the better of me, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want this to turn into an argument, but it still hurt.

“Because you deserved it!” she shouted.

“What, so now you were punishing me?” 

“Yes, Linda, I was punishing you,” she said slowly, as if explaining the obvious. “I’m a demon, it’s what I _do._ You think I’m suddenly gonna turn into a fluffy little bunny because I hang around humans for a while? Do you have any idea what it’s been like for me?” 

“It’s not exactly been a picnic for me either. I almost died.”

“But you didn’t. We saved you. And then you start cutting me out like I was nothing.”

“Amenadiel was _helping_ me. My whole world felt like it had been turned upside down.”

“Boo-hoo!” She slammed a fist down on the table, wincing as it jarred her in sore places. “Mine too. But at least you still had a home, and a job. Hell was my home for thousands of years, the only place I’d ever known, and I gave it up blindly when I followed Lucifer here. And yeah, it was fun for a while, but then he met Chloe and I slowly lost him too.” She always seemed to love life so much, it never occured to me how much she’d given up. That she might actually miss her former life. She took a breath. “I thought I was going to lose you as well.”

Transference, good, now I knew I was back on solid ground. I sat in my therapist chair, it made it easier. “Tell me how you feel about Chloe.”

“Are you gonna shrink me, now?”

I sighed. Maybe I was less subtle than I thought. “Please? I think it could help us. I want to know what’s going on with you. I need to work out how to be a good friend again.”

“What is it with you and talking?” Her voice dripped with exasperation. “Fine. But I’m doing this for you, not because I need it.”

“Thank you. So, Chloe?”

“It’s not her I’m mad at. But she makes Lucifer crazy, and I will always take second place to that.”

“Are you jealous of the way he feels about her?”

“I don’t want him to go like that over me, if that’s what you’re asking,” she said with a sneer. “But Lucifer… It’s hard to explain in human terms.”

“Try. Tell me, at the most basic level, what was he to you, before Chloe?”

“He was my Master. My King. He literally ruled my world and I did whatever he wanted. Not because I feared him, but because I admired him. He was strong and fierce, passionate and majestic. I thought I was his most treasured servant, his favourite.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“Important. Powerful. Invincible. So when he left, I followed him, I did what he asked, even if it meant losing the chance to return home. Nothing else mattered but him.”

“And then, he lost interest in you, moved on to other things. And you lost your identity.” I’d seen them drift apart, how dismissive he’d become of her.

“I tried to fight it, to find the things that made me who I am. I fought, I hunted. But it wasn’t enough. And then you and Amenadiel- I felt like I was being replaced again. Twice over. Because you had this new friend to talk to about supernatural stuff, and he…” Maze hesitated, and I knew whatever it was that she wasn’t saying was probably the most important part.

“He what?”

“Fuck, I hate this! Are we nearly done?”

“I don’t know yet. What was it about him?” 

“I was his first. It got complicated- like, war of the worlds complicated- but I didn’t think it was really over, not in the long run. But then he was doing things with you that he’d only ever done with me.”

“Well, there was that prostitute…”

Maze just rolled her eyes. It wasn’t just sex for her then. How did I not notice that before?

“So were you jealous of me or of him?”

“Why do you even have to ask that? Why can’t it be both?”

“Both?”

Maze just looked at me silently.

“Are you saying that if I’m your friend, you don’t want me dating _anyone?_ Is that why you threw those guys off the bus?”

“But it’s not just friends, is it?”

That was a confusing statement. “I… um.” I couldn’t even look at her. Because I knew that she wasn’t exactly wrong. I pushed the creases out of my skirt, not sure if I was subconsciously trying to cover myself, or draw attention.

“I’ve always been interested in you,” she went on. “Lucifer told me how wild you were. We used to share humans all the time.”

“You talk about it as if we were a bag of snacks,” I said with distaste. The way she said it made me feel small and insignificant. 

“Not you though. You could be a three course meal.”

“So what? Friends with benefits? Until you get bored of me? Or I grow too old?”

“Worse,” she said, suddenly taking an acute interest in a fingernail. “You die. And I go on ...forever. Which is why I tend to stick to the casual sex.”

“Look I know it works for some people, but it’s not that simple, Maze.”

“It is to me. I’m not human, Linda.” 

“No you’re not,” I said, and it was a sudden epiphany. “And I think that’s where I’ve been going wrong. It doesn’t matter how much I try to analyse you, if I keep trying to interpret your actions as if you were human, I’m missing something. What am I missing?”

“My entire life up until I came to LA? The fact that I’m thousands of years old and yet everyone treats me as if I’m a child?” 

“That! Yes. I look at you, and I see a young woman. The way you think and behave is so primal, so passionate, which also makes me think of youth. I have been trying to get my brain around the idea of eternity, Heaven and Hell, but somehow I just haven’t managed to integrate that into my mental picture of you. Your lack of experience on earth does not equate to a general lack of experience. You’re immortal.”

“D’uh!” Her whole body echoed her mocking tone. “All of the people, the friends that you keep telling me to get close to, are going to die. They’ll be gone. Hell, even Amenadiel probably, now that he’s fallen. And it blows. But I care about you anyway, both of you. So yeah, I got jealous. But for some bizarro reason, I couldn’t stop caring.”

I left the chair to sit beside her, and took her hand. “That’s a good thing, though, right? Caring about people, having those moments, is what makes life worth living.”

“Moments like this?” She raised my hand to her mouth, brushing her cracked lips over my fingers. My insides clenched and grew hot. I let her linger just long enough to burn the feeling into my memory, and then pulled away.

“Look, I know that you’re not used to feeling these kinds of feelings. I also know that after all that you’ve been through you’re probably a teensy bit more emotionally vulnerable than usual. It can be confusing, and I don’t want to take advantage of that. You’re my friend, and that’s the most important thing, and now is not the right time to be experimenting with anything more than that.”

Maze looked at me out the corners of her eyes. “Nowhere in that little speech did you say anything about not wanting to sleep with me.”

“Whether or not I want to sleep with you is beside the point.”

“Again with the evasion, you’re worse than Lucifer.” 

Ouch. Deep breath. “Good point, well made. Okay, yes, I find you attractive. But you mean a lot more to me than a quick fumble, and I don’t want to do anything either of us would regret.”

“I’ve never regretted sex in my life. Unless it was bad. But I hear that you’re a lot of fun. And bendy.” She licked at the corner of her mouth. I felt my thighs tighten. 

“Yes, but you’ve never had sex with a friend before either. It complicates things.”

“Right,” Maze said, standing up with another wince and picking up the bloody knife from the desk. She got as far as the door before she stopped and turned. “If I were to kiss you right now, are you telling me you’d push me away?”

“I’d prefer not to have to find out.”

“You don’t know?”

I shook my head. “Honestly, right now, I think I’m more confused than you are.”

Mazikeen came back and knelt in front of me, arms fencing me about, the very personification of temptation. “I think I can help you with that.”

“But this isn’t right…” 

“Demon, remember?” Hot breath ghosted over my ear as she whispered, “Really not that interested in morality.”

It took every ounce of the strength I had to move away, the same determination I’d used to say no to Lucifer. Maze slowly drooped, her shoulders sagging and then her face falling forward. “This isn’t a rejection,” I said softly, reaching out to lift her chin. “I care about you a great deal. But this isn’t the right time. There are too many obscuring factors.”

Maze moved her head, nudging her face against my palm like a cat wanting to be stroked. “Please, don’t make me leave. I have nowhere else to go.”

“Oh my dear Maze,” I sighed, stroking her cheek with a thumb, “you can stay at my place _without_ having sex with me.”

“I can?” Her brows knitted together.

“Yes, of course!” and I pulled her into my arms again. “That’s another thing that friends are for.”

*** 

I drove Maze back to my apartment, trying to clear her little suggestion out of my mind. It’s not like I hadn’t thought about it. I mean, come on, it’s _Maze,_ she’s almost as high on the seduction scale as the Devil himself. You can’t go out dancing and watch her wiggle her tightly leather-clad ass without imagining the feel of it. And it’s not the first time she suggested it either- there was still the memory of her crawling over the table and offering me “payment.” Something twisted sweetly under my breastbone at the thought. Maybe I needed a cold shower once we got home.

Because now was really not the right time. We’d just made up, for fuck’s sake. And she was hurt (although to Maze that was probably like foreplay) and needed time to recover. Not to mention the fact that she was obviously going through a lot right now and needed a friend more than she needed another lover.

Yeah, right. Because the thousands-year-old _demon_ forged in the bowels of Hell wouldn’t be able to deal with having her friend’s tongue in her… oh shit, don’t go there.

By the time I opened the front door, I was so flustered I started rambling. “I don’t have a guest room, but the sofa pulls out into a bed. We can take turns in the shower.” Or not. No, brain! Bad brain! “Let me know if there’s anything you need. You don’t have a bag, do you? I can lend you something to wear, that stuff might need a wash.” Because it’s covered in blood. “Pyjamas? No, I bet you never wear pyjamas.” Fuck! I took another deep breath and counted in my head. I only got as far as five, but it helped. “I need a drink, how about you?”

“Hell yeah,” she agreed, and limped over to lean on the countertop. 

I looked in the cabinet. Red wine. Nope, too many romantic connotations. Not tequila either, I did not need to be getting drunk and doing something stupid right now. Vodka. That could work- there was orange juice in the refrigerator too. I poured her a large portion and didn’t bother mixing it. She’d downed the lot before I’d finished putting my own together. I poured her another just so I wouldn’t be drinking alone. She just perched there, leaning and grinning at me.

“What?” I asked.

“Just you.”

“What about me?” 

“You’re a good friend. It’s weird.” She knocked back the rest of her drink. “You mentioned showers, but any chance of a bath? Everything still hurts.”

“I thought you liked pain?”

“Yeah, but too much of a good thing and all that. The best part’s over now anyway.”

I prudently decided not to ask which was the best part.

“I’ll go get one running. Am I right in assuming you want it scorching hot?”

Her grin widened. “Absolutely.”

I sat on the edge of the tub, drinking my vodka and orange juice, while steam slowly filled the room. It would all be okay, I told myself. I’ll look after my friend, and help her find a way to live in the world. And tomorrow I’ll go back to work, and things can start moving back in the general direction of normal. Whatever normal is these days. I got up and turned to go and look for something for her to wear, only to find her standing in the doorway, stripping off her clothes. Bits of metal rattled as she dropped them on the floor, standing in just her leggings.

“Oh!” I should have averted my eyes, looked anywhere else, but for some reason it took longer than it should have. She tucked her thumbs into her waistband and started pushing it down, and I spun away quickly. I’d forgotten about the mirror. Too late to close my eyes, I just swore under my breath. She was a vision, even bruised and battered as she was. “I should, um…” I had to get out of there, but she was blocking the only door. Naked.

“Are you still mad at me? You’re acting funny.”

“No, Maze, just…” I grabbed a towel and held it up to cover her.

“Since when did you become such a prude?” she asked. She almost sounded offended.

“Oh, that is _so_ not the problem.”

“You _do_ want to sleep with me.”

“Yes. No. I do but I don’t.”

“What does that mean? There’s no bad here, Linda. Why not just enjoy yourself? Have a bit of fun?”

“Because technically, I’m still on the rebound, and the part that comes afterwards, with the confusion and the doubt and the guilt would _not_ be fun.” Sometimes, knowing how psychology and emotions work can be a pain in the ass. But the thought of what I’d lost with Amenadiel was enough of a buzzkill to wash away the temptation. Most of it, at least. “Bath should be almost done. I didn’t even turn on the cold water, so it should be hot as Hell.” It was supposed to be a joke, but her breath caught ever so slightly, and I realised how homesick she must actually be. Great, now we were both kinda mopey.

“You wanna help me wash the blood out of my hair? I promise I won’t try and seduce you.”

“As tempting as that offer sounds, I can’t promise you the same thing. I better leave you to it, I think.” I moved towards the doorway, but she caught at my wrist.

“Stay?”

“Why?”

“Because…” she pulled at the corner of the towel. “Reasons.” Whether it was my presence she craved or that she just didn’t want to be alone, she would never admit. It was enough to know that she needed me though.

“Okay. But I’m drawing the curtain to avoid… distraction. I'll just go find something for you to put on after. Then I'll be right back.”

She nodded, the corner of her mouth turning up just slightly. 

So, which of my clothes would she be most comfortable in? Not a pencil skirt or a tight dress, not enough leg room for kicking ass. That ruled out over half my wardrobe. I opened and shut various drawers until I found my yoga clothes. I pulled out a lycra top and pants that were mostly black with a few silver highlights. Not leather and metal bits, but close enough. When I got back in the bathroom, she was already in the tub with the curtain drawn. Thank whichever deity is appropriate in this case. Maybe I should just start swearing by Odin. Or Ra. I sat on the mat and leaned against the side of the bath. “How’s the water?”

“Scorching, thanks.”

“Will your arm need redressing after, or is it healing?”

“I tend to heal well enough.” She laughed at a thought and then swore.

“What?”

“You just reminded me of Trixie, that’s all. She liked wrapping me in bandages when I was hurt too. I think I might have upset her though.”

“Why do you say that?” She didn’t answer straight away. “Look, I’m happy to keep you company, but it’s either talking or sitting in silence. So we might as well talk about something important.”

“You think that’s important?”

“Trixie was the first friend you made, of course she’s important.”

“Huh.” She explained about the fight with Dan, and how her young friend had overheard and run out crying.

“Kids have trouble controlling their emotions, they feel things strongly and express themselves freely. But they are also very resilient. She loves you too much to hold it against you for long.”

Maze was quiet for a few moments. I could hear the water sloshing about as she moved. It conjured up images of glistening, caramel skin. I let them roll through my mind, and then let them go.

“That's why you keep forgetting how old I am, isn't it? Because I don't try to hide or control my emotions.”

“I think that has a lot to do with it, yes.”

“Maybe that's why I like her too. She's honest. No mind games.” She sighed heavily. “So how do I win her back?”

“Some would say chocolate cake, but after the brownies that might not be such a good idea. Tell her your sorry and let her know why she's important to you.”

“Sounds good. Not easy, but good. If Dan and Decker ever let me talk to her again.”

“They will. Once they've calmed down and realise they need their babysitter back.” I finished the last of my drink. “You okay for a minute if I go get a refill?”

“Sure, bring me one too.”

As I was pouring the vodka, the doorbell rang. And then it went again, three times in a hurry. Before I could start wondering who it could be, the door opened and Lucifer all but stumbled into the room, in a complete state of disarray. His hair was all over the place, he was dirty and dusty, and there were several holes in his shirt. Worse than any of that was the look on his face, one of utter despair such as I have never seen in my entire career. There were no tears, but his eyes were bloodshot and circled with pain; his mouth fixed into a thin line. He looked straight at me. “She knows.”


	2. The Devil Having a Personal Crisis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer stops by out of hours. Obligatory post 3-24 wing-grooming.

It’s strange how you can spend so long waiting for something to happen, but when it does, it doesn’t quite work out like you thought it would. 

He didn’t have to tell to me who “she” was, or what it was that she knew. I went straight back to the cabinet, grabbed the tequila, and passed him the bottle. I think he took several gulps without even noticing what it was. “Tell me what happened.”

He spoke softly, in a way that spoke of detachment. “Cain led us into a trap. I saved her, got her away and went back for him. We fought. He lost.” Several more gulps of tequila. There was a lot he wasn’t saying, but I could work that out after. “And then in the most epic case of bad timing, the Detective walked in on me just as my Devil face decided to come back.”

“Wow.” I had to take a drink myself. This was not how it was supposed to go. “How bad she freak out?”

“Not so much as you did. I think she was compartmentalising. Focussing on the dead body, thinking about police things, because that was easier.”

“Wait, what? _Dead body?_ ”

“Cain-”

Maze’s shout interrupted from the bedroom. “Hey Linda, you okay? Is someone there?”

Lucifer’s face twisted, his eyes starting to glow. “Mazikeen!” he hissed, and charged towards her voice. When I caught up with him, he had her pinned to the wall, his hand around her throat. Her hair was still wet and she was wrapped loosely in a towel. He snarled at her, and she grinned.

“There he is,” she purred.

“Lucifer, no!” I called, but he only raised her higher.

“She betrayed me!” he roared. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her curved dagger, pressing it up under her chin. It was still covered in blood. Because apparently that was the theme of the day. I stood in the doorway, not daring to move.

Maze only laughed. “You found it! I thought it was gone.”

“You plotted with Cain. Why, Maze?”

“So you would take me home! We don’t belong here, Lucifer!”

“How can I take you home if I’m dead?” He spoke more quietly as his face drew close to hers. “You gave him the means to kill me. It almost worked. He nearly killed the Detective too!”

“Nuh-uh. I didn’t want any of you dead.” Her voice was rasping, but steady. “He changed the deal, wanted to kill your brother, but I couldn't let him do it.”

“Amenadiel? He wanted _Amenadiel_ dead?” The knife moved away from her neck.

“He decided he didn't want to die after all. He was gonna frame you for it, get you out the picture.”

“So that's what he meant. She was never his target at all…” he let go and Maze crumpled to the floor, still weak from her ordeal.

Lucifer stepped back, the rage draining out of him. Something in the way he moved spoke of a deep sense of loss. “She who?” I asked, not sure if I was going to like the answer.

“Charlotte. He shot her. We thought he planned it, but if it was my brother he was after…” he sighed with the weight of eternity. 

“Charlotte’s dead?” Stage one, shock. Okay, so knowing the emotions guidebook does help sometimes.

“She must have saved him. That's why he took her home.”

“He… how?” Maze stood up, adjusting the towel around herself.

He looked at her as if noticing for the first time. “Why are you naked? Are you two sleeping together now?”

“Not yet,” she said. Only these two could talk so casually about sex in the middle of a conversation like this. Also... Oh. “What about Amenadiel?”

“It seems he got his wings back. Took Charlotte up to Heaven.”

“He’s gone?” Maze gaped.

My heart fell right through the floor. It was sheer effort of will that kept my body from following. I couldn’t stop a few tears from escaping though. 

Lucifer looked at each of us in turn. “Right. Forgot I was talking to his groupies,” he huffed.

“Was this before or after…” I hesitated.

“Before. We started investigating her death, Pierce sent someone after Daniel, led us into a trap and then...”

This was the part he was avoiding. Something had gone terribly wrong. “Right, couch, now,” I insisted, wiping at my eyes.

He looked at me like I’d just grown a second head. 

“You’ve just told me a whole bunch of terrible things, and I don’t know how to deal with any them right now, but one thing I can deal with is the Devil having a personal crisis, so get on the couch and let me do my job.”

When he obeyed wordlessly I knew he was in even more trouble than I’d first thought. Maze stayed in the bedroom and closed the door, which was best for all concerned- less distraction for me, more privacy for Lucifer and she wouldn’t have to listen to more emotional dialogue. He picked up the bottle again and I let him drink while I extracted the story piece by piece. Not usual practice, but anything to get him talking at this stage was good. It took a while to untangle the chronology, he kept skipping details but I kept leading him back to fill them in, over and over. The fact that he didn’t leap up and walk out at any point was surprising, but I guess he was still looking for answers of some kind. He kept holding the knife, staring at it, playing with it like a damned fidget spinner. Until, finally, he told me the worst.

“I killed him. Stabbed him through the heart, just like…” he swallowed. “He’s not coming back this time. The mark’s gone. I stayed long enough to make sure, but I couldn’t stand the way she looked at me.”

“How did she look?”

“Hurt. Like her world had been crushed. I didn’t even notice that I’d changed at first. Then I saw the fear. She was afraid of me.” He swallowed down the last of the bottle. “So I guess that’s that then.”

“Lucifer, no, this is not how it ends. She’s in shock, but she cares about you. Give her time.” I looked at him. “You ran out, didn’t you?” He just stared back. “Of course you did. I suppose I better call her and let her know you’re still here, and not in Vegas.”

He scoffed and leaned back into the couch, then winced and moved forward again. I paused, dropping the phone back onto the table. “You’re hurt.”

“I’ll heal,” he said.

“Where?”

“Does it matter? How many times have you told me you’re not that kind of doctor anyway?”

Avoiding, deflecting- he did not want to answer the question. Three guesses what that meant. “I’m pretty sure any medical doctor would freak out if you showed them this injury, so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me. Show me.”

He glared. “No.”

“Maze!” I called, standing up.

“Oh, no! She’s not doing this.” 

Maze came out, wearing my lycra exercise gear, the cuffs still dangling from one wrist. _Oh sweet Eros!_ Luckily, I was used to coping with distracting sexy thoughts while dealing with Lucifer. “He’s hurt,” I told her. “I think it’s his wings.”

“I said, I’ll heal,” he insisted.

“Take your jacket off then,” she challenged. I gave her a puzzled look. “If he wasn’t broken, he would have changed out of that mess before he got here.”

“I was in a hurry,” he said, but she just stared. “All right.” He tried to prove her wrong and failed miserably. His face contorted and he stopped dead as his shoulders pushed back. I took the knife from his hand and left it on the table, then moved to help him, sliding off his jacket and unbuttoning his torn shirt. “Why Doctor,” he said with a forced smile, “this brings back memories.”

“Stop trying to distract me,” I said, and carefully undressed him. His back was flawless, not a mark on him. Not even the scars that were the one place I’d never been allowed to touch. “I can't see anything.”

“Of course not,” he huffed. “They're metaphysical. But if you insist on doing this, you better move out of the way.”

I stood back and he turned so that he was kneeling on the sofa, gripping the back of it tightly. Then, in slow motion and with an almost inaudible grunt, he unfurled his wings one at a time.

Oh, holy crap.

They _crunched_ as they appeared, bone grinding on bone. I'd forgotten how enormous they were and my apartment suddenly felt a lot smaller. If I had thought that he looked bad previously, it was nothing compared to this. They were splattered all over with blood, feathers twisted and broken everywhere. I glanced at Maze, suddenly unsure what to do. She looked like she was going to weep.

“Oh, Lucifer,” she said softly, and her hands moved towards him and began to comb through the feathers gently. “What did you do?”

“I saved a human life. And you can mock me all you like, but I would do it all again and more. I can't lose her.”

Maze looked at me warily. “Apparently you're not the only one with that problem anymore.” Her eyes went back to the mess in front of her. “Linda, can you get some hot water and towels? We need to clean all this up so we can see how bad it is.”

“Right. Same process, different appendages. I can play doctor to two immortals one day.”

“Why?” Lucifer asked as I went and filled a bowl. “What happened to this one?”

“I tried to stop Cain from going after your brother,” she explained. “But he said something that made me hesitate, and I ended up drugged and cuffed to a pipe. I managed to fight my way out of there, but I was still pretty out of it and they got in a few lucky hits. Good times.” I handed her a wet towel and she began to clean away the blood carefully.

“He drugged you? What happened to my kick-ass bodyguard who could take down a gang-war single handed?”

“I could ask you the same question,” she deflected.

“I was protecting someone.”

“Me too.”

He hissed as she touched on what was clearly a sore spot and she investigated further. “Lucifer? There’s bullets in here.”

“Yes, well they did have rather a lot of guns.”

“It shouldn’t be hurting now though, Chloe’s not here,” I pointed out.

“I still have lumps of metal pressing on my nerve endings. It's not nearly as bad it was, but it is an intense kind of pressure.”

“Is that Devilish for ‘It hurts but I'm not going to admit it?’” I asked. 

“Trust me, I've had a lot worse.”

Of course he has. What were a few bullet holes to the Prince of Darkness? I picked up a second towel and started to help Maze clean away the blood. It had started drying out and had stuck in the feathers, forming matted clumps. I had to keep dipping in the water, pressing gently to loosen it as I carefully wiped it away. Red water ran downwards, streaking the white. I soon saw how bad the damage was. Honestly, it was miracle he was still walking around. Or… yeah, whatever. 

Maze extended her arm over his shoulder, rattling the cuff near his face, and he did something the made it click and fall off. She picked up my glass, drained it, and set it aside. Then her fingers reached in between the feathers and pulled out the shattered remains of a bullet, dropping it into the empty glass. Lucifer grunted again, but that was all. 

“Just so you know, I'm leaving that part to you,” I told her.

She smiled at me. I felt my belly grow warm. “Thanks!” she said, as if I'd just presented her with a whole chest full of shiny blades. I wiped away more blood to reveal another bullet hole, seeing the metal buried in the flesh underneath. My stomach clenched and I let Maze take over. Her tongue peeked out the corner of her mouth as she poked into the muscle, clearly in her element, revelling in the blood and the gore and having Lucifer submit to it. I almost expected her to start licking his wounds. It should have been a lot less sexy than it was.

Focus. Breathe. Concentrate on the injured person in front of you. A friend who needs help. So I dipped and rinsed, I cleaned and tended. I emptied out the bloody bowl and brought fresh hot water several times. Where the feathers were twisted and broken, I began to pull them straight. Maze noticed and watched for a moment before showing me the right way to do it, laying them carefully with more gentleness than I would have imagined possible from the demon. Then I realised that she must have done this before. In Hell. Before she cut them off whole because he asked her to.

By Thor, this was all so messed up.

But something about the way that she touched him proved that he was still very important to her. He had the power to hurt her more than anyone. She may have rejected his authority, but there was still a strong bond, a shared history measured in millennia. Perhaps she even still loved him in a broken, demonish kind of way.

Slowly, the glass filled up with small pieces of metal. I felt my arms growing tired, but I wouldn't stop until it was done- there was a lot more white than red now though, so I must be getting something right. My head was feeling strange too, a kind of swimming, happy high. Probably because my hands were knuckle deep in huge, angelic feathers. Which were so very soft. And kinda glowy. 

There was also angelic blood on my couch. Oh well.

Sometimes, when I went to straighten a feather, I saw it was broken almost all the way through. I pointed out one of them to Maze and she grasped it firmly and tugged. It came out easily in her hand and she dropped it on the coffee table as if it were an empty beer can. I stared at it. It would have to be burned, just like the wings in the dumpster. Oh God. Amenadiel. I wonder what his wings look like. Are they as beautiful as this? What had he been through to lose them? Questions I might never understand, because he'd gone back to Heaven. I felt tears leaking down my face again. Part of me just wanted to curl up on my bed and sob my heart out, but the feel of Lucifer’s wings, even shattered as they were, was so strangely soothing. I found another broken feather, curled my fingers around it, my thumb pressed against the shaft and pulled. Nothing happened. I tried again, with more force and both hands, but it still wouldn’t budge. Because of course it wouldn’t. I was only human, after all.

Maze laughed at me. I didn't care. Everything was just such a haze. Utter exhaustion could not be ruled out. What time was It? How long had I been doing this? I glanced at the clock. It was hours since he arrived. The job was almost done- no more dirt and crusty blood, no more bullets. The feathers looked much better when they were all aligned and smoothed in neat rows. When I ran my fingers through the incandescent white, I could see that some of the wounds were almost closed. I took a step back, wobbled, and sat myself down before I fell.

Lucifer had been uncharacteristically quiet. I watched him as Maze went through and pulled out the last of the broken feathers. He'd adjusted his position to a half slumped, sideways seat, his head resting on his forearms. I summoned enough energy to move round the back of the sofa and look at him. His brows turned up in the centre, his eyes pleading for a relief I could not offer. I knelt before him, reaching up the straighten his hair. “Oh, Lucifer,” I sighed.

His fingers stretched towards me and gently touched my cheek. “Do you really think that she'll forgive me? For murder?”

“You did it to protect her though, right? She's had to do the same on occasion.”

“Partly. But it wasn't the only reason. I wanted him dead. I wanted him to suffer for trying to hurt her, for taking Charlotte away.” He breathed deeply. “And now she knows the truth. The thing she's been avoiding for so long.”

“In my opinion,” I began, knowing that it was not the usual methodology to just tell him, but also knowing he'd never get there on his own, “the reason she's been avoiding the truth is because she knows that she needs you. She doesn't want to have to face the fact that her partner, the man she cares so much about, could be everything he says he is. It's easier to be close to you when you're just…”

“Crazy?” Maze offered when I couldn't think of the word. “Deluded? Making it all up?”

“Human,” I finished. “Talking in metaphors. Give her time to get used to the idea. It opens up a lot more problems than just the idea of you being the Devil.”

“I think I'm done,” Maze said. Lucifer twitched his wings experimentally, and then lifted and folded them.

“Much better. I'm in your debt.” He stood and turned to her. “I'll take you now, if it's what you truly desire.”

“Home?” she asked, excitement bubbling up through her. I tried to be happy for her, but I'd just got her back and I knew I'd miss her terribly. She looked at me, and she looked at Lucifer. “But you're staying here, aren't you?”

“Naturally. There are several things I still need to sort out.”

Her eyes flicked back and forth as she hesitated. “Maybe later then. I mean, just to make sure that everything’s going to be okay. Now that you’ve apparently killed someone.”

“Just Cain. I’m not sure if he counts.”

“Shit! You do remember the curse, don’t you? Vengeance seven times over?”

“He can’t do worse to me than he’s already done.”

“Are you sure? What about Chloe? Linda? Dan, Trixie, Ella, Candy? There are people you care about now, what if He decides to go after _them?_ ”

“He wouldn’t… would he?” She glared. “Of course He would. Bloody Hell, what have I done?”

And of course he chose that exact moment to disappear.


	3. Go to Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Linda is exhausted. Lucifer visits Cain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This gets a bit twisted. Welcome to my brain. Thank you, FluffyGlitterPantsDragon for assuring me I'm not crazy.

“So, everything’s going to be fine except for the fact that God might decide to kill me?”

“It’s highly unlikely He’ll do anything directly. He tends to order people to do His smiting for Him. And as far as I know, He hasn’t done that in a very long time.”

“Still… I'm awfully glad that you're here.” I took a step towards her, feeling nervous and fragile.

She took my hands in hers. “You know I would fight the entire heavenly host for you, right?”

“See? Strong.” I chuckled, and those powerful arms went around my shoulders and pulled me close. I leant my head on her shoulder, exhausted from all the emotions of the day. Had it only been one day? I tried to swallow a yawn.

“Sleepy? I forget you need more to rest more than me,” she teased.

“Really? You slept through half the afternoon!”

“Circumstances! Besides, technically I wasn’t sleeping, I was passed out from my awesome acts of heroism while under the influence of enough drugs to knock out a fallen angel.”

That made me laugh. “True. Maybe one day I'll get to see you in action for real, instead of just the scary aftermath. But I do need rest, my human head is fuzzy.” I looked up at her and she brushed the hair away from my eyes. I heard her inhalation, noticed the tilt of her head; my lips lifting towards hers in spite of my reservations. 

“The angel wings can do that to you,” she said, moving away. Which was for the best. It meant she’s been listening. Why did she suddenly have to start listening now?

I found some satin pyjamas and went into the bathroom for a shower before sleep. The tub was still full of bloody water from Maze’s bath. I let it drain and rinsed it out before getting in, staring as it spiralled down the drain.

Finally, I got my shower. I stood there, letting it wash over me, and the tension and the adrenaline began to melt away. I began to sob quietly. It was all too much- Lucifer, Maze, Charlotte- and Amenadiel. I felt torn apart. I could cope with giving him up as a lover, but the thought of never seeing him again was heart wrenching. He was always so strong, so certain, like solid ground beneath me when everything I used to believe in dissolved into quicksand. Gone. I didn't know if he could hear me, but I prayed anyway.

_Amenadiel, I'm scared. Things were supposed to be getting better but I think they just got a whole lot worse. I miss you. No doubt you'd tell me to have faith, but Lucifer's done something crazy and now I might have to pay for it. Maybe, if you're up there, you could… I dunno, intercede for me? For us? Because if Maze is right and the world is about to go to Hell, we are gonna need all the help we can get._

_What we had, even though it was just a short time, is something I can't ever forget. And now you're an angel again, and you probably have bigger things to deal with, but…_

I didn't know how to finish. I was so confused by my extra feelings for Maze, I wasn't even sure what I needed to say, so I just stopped. And for the briefest moment, I thought I felt something, a touch along my arms, a breath on my neck. But then it was gone. Some trick of my imagination. So I did what I had to do. I let the feelings pass, I got cleaned up and ready for bed. 

Maze was sitting there, waiting for me. “It really will be okay, I promise. I'm going to look after you.”

“That's actually very reassuring,” I said as I sat next to her. She put an arm around my shoulders again, and I leaned against her. “Because of you being so awesome and everything.”

“I know, right?” she laughed. “Now get into bed, puny mortal. I'll stay on the sofa but call if you need anything.”

I crawled under the covers and went to sleep much more quickly than I expected. But it was a sleep plagued by strange dreams and fears. I was being chased by a bright light, and had to keep seeking out dark places to hide. But the darkness was full of decay and ash, and I had to keep moving. I awoke in the small hours with a shudder, not sure why my heart was pounding. I sat up and grabbed my glasses from beside the bed. 

“Are you okay babe?” Maze asked quickly. I could see her silhouette, sitting in the doorway, her back resting against the frame, the curved dagger in her hand.

“Yeah,” I answered. “Bad dreams I guess.”

“Dreams can’t hurt you,” she said matter-of-factly. “Anything that can hurt you will have to get past me first. Go back to sleep.”

My guardian demon, ever at my side, watching and protecting. She made me feel safe again, and I snuggled down under the covers. Soon I was dreaming again, this time that I was at the top of a fortress guarded by a black and silver dragon who could spit venom. And we had some pretty awesome adventures together before I woke up.

 

_Lucifer landed once again in the place where he'd sworn never to return. He told himself it would only be a fleeting visit. He needed to make sure Cain was here. The man had bargained with Dad before, if he'd gone up to the Silver City he would make sure the curse was fulfilled and everything would be lost. But if he was in Hell, there was a chance Dad might not get involved so directly. Lucifer stepped cautiously through the stone pillars, ash catching on his bare shoulders. He could feel the direction where he wanted to go, could sense his damned spirit._

_It suddenly occurred to him that this might not be the best plan. Last time he was here, he'd almost got lost, and only escaped with Mum's help. There was no back-up this time. Too late now. He'd found Cain’s cell._

_He was unprepared for the sight that greeted him. It was the evidence room. The man’s trousers were half way to his knees, and he was pressing someone up against the wall, grunting as he thrust into her. This wasn't right. He was supposed to be suffering, not shagging some poor fool. Lucifer moved around to see… his Detective? No. He almost bolted straight out again, but something about the look on her face made him pause. She was bored, detached. The idea that Cain was crap at sex was deeply satisfying. Her phone began to ring before he'd finished, and as she glanced at the screen, a smile broke across her face. She pushed Cain away away from her and answered it, her voice soft, the words difficult to make out._

_It wasn't really her, Lucifer told himself, as he watched her balance the phone against her shoulder and pull her trousers back on. Whoever she was talking to was clearly making her happy. Cain was pulling a WTF expression and gesturing wildly. “I'll be right there,” she said, and hung up._

_“Because of course you're going now,” he complained._

_“Sorry, but he needs me.”_

_“Can't it wait?”_

_“No.” She left, and he followed. Lucifer didn't bother to move, the scene shifted around him and they were in the bullpen. He watched as Chloe ran towards someone- a figure in his own image, waiting at her desk. His red soled shoes were resting on a small pile of paperwork, and he was juggling balls made out of rubber bands. Her hands ran across his shoulders as she walked behind him; her eyes lit up at his smile. Cain glowered, watching from a distance. Lucifer couldn't hear them, but he stood entranced by the image. Right now, he wasn't even sure if she'd ever speak to him again. The way she looked at his counterpart melted his insides and made him ache with longing. She was so beautiful, maybe he should just stay here, invisible, and see what came next…_

_He watched days pass by in Cain’s perfect Hell. He watched as Chloe ignored the first murderer more and more, and spent increasing amounts of time talking about Lucifer, admiring Lucifer. Cain inevitably lost his temper. “You do know he's the Devil, right?”_

_“Of course I do,” she answered straight faced, “and I don't care.”_

_The image of Lucifer gradually changed. First his eyes began to burn, then his skin turned crimson. He was walking around the precinct in full on Devil form and no one seemed to notice. Except Chloe. She teased him playfully about his lack of hair, laughed when he joked about eternal flames and told him it didn’t matter. He was her monster, she said, and he would never have to be lonely again. She looked deep into the fire and drew closer. Her fingers traced a long furrow along his scalp, ghosted over the lines on his cheeks, and pulled him near enough to kiss. The real Lucifer's heart almost stopped as he saw their lips touch. He thought perhaps he might stay here forever, trapped in this loop, just so he relive this moment over and over. But then there was a loud crack that echoed through the room. Everyone ducked as their hands went to holsters. Everyone except the jealous Cain, who remained standing, holding the smoking gun, because this was his nightmare. Everyone except Chloe, who was slowly sagging in the other Lucifer’s arms, gasping for breath as the life poured out of her._

_It wasn't her. This wasn't real. Somewhere else, the real Detective was alive. And she might be in danger. He needed to go._


	4. It's not a metaphor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe needs a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to my lovely beta FluffyGlitterPantsDragon. Get well soon!

I’m not sure how I had managed to be friends with Maze for this long and never see her bedroom. It was a mess, but that was no surprise. She’d been upset and homesick; she probably resented the space, and tidiness and order are often lost when depression hits. Also, she's Maze. There were clothes all over the bed, the floor, and the… sex swing? Also what looked like what might have at one time been some kind home gym, repurposed with various straps and bondage points. Luckily, somewhere in all this she apparently kept an emergency bag ready in case she had to rush off for a bounty. I just had to find it. Like buried treasure. 

I nudged a heap of PVC out of my path with my toe, and it rattled. Perhaps I should just call and ask where she's left the bag in question. She was waiting in the car because she wanted to be nearby “just in case” but didn't think now was the right moment for a housemate reunion. She was probably right. I opened the wardrobe, finding it almost empty- the usual contents were what littered the rest of the room. No bag of any kind in there. I was looking in a drawer half-filled with dildos and butt plugs when a slightly wobbly voice stopped me. “Who’s there?” I turned slowly and stood up. Chloe was standing in the doorway, her gun raised.

“It’s just me,” I reassured her. “It’s okay. Sorry, I should have called first, but…” I stopped, noticing the way her lip trembled as she lowered the gun, and so I did what any friend would and just put out my arms and went to her. She collapsed, sobbing, on my shoulder, and I let her cry, stroking her softly.

“It’s all true,” she gasped. “It’s all true, and I never believed him and now he’s run away and I’ll never see him again!”

“Shhh, shhh. It’s okay. He’s not gone. I saw him last night. Shit, I was going to call you, but then he was hurt, and… sorry. He’s okay. Well, actually, he’s a mess, but he will be okay. Are you okay?” Why couldn't I stop saying okay?

She sniffed and broke apart to look at me. “How much do you know?”

This was always going to be an awkward moment. “How about we go sit somewhere more comfortable?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Linda, you already _knew?_ ”

“I’m his therapist, it’s my job to know. And not to talk about it,” I added, before she could ask.

“Right. Of course.” Her hands folded around her middle, her head lowered.

“But, in light of recent events, and as a _friend_ , I think it might be all right if I were bend some of the rules a little and see if I can help you figure this out?”

She looked back up and nodded. 

“Let me just see if I can find this bag, and I’ll text Maze to tell her I’m gonna be a while longer, and then we can sit downstairs with a cup of coffee?”

“Maze. The demon who’s been sharing a house with me and my daughter.” She gagged a little as she said it.

“Yes, Maze, our friend. She’s staying with me for now, so try not to worry too much. I came by to pick up a few of her things.”

She took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’ll get that coffee started. The bag’s under the bed.”

A short while later, we were sat on the couch, sipping hot coffee quietly. “So, you have questions, I guess?”

“Many, many questions,” she replied. “But I have no idea where to start.”

“What went through your mind, when you first saw?”

“You mean apart from mother flunker cluster duck?”

I giggled internally. “Also a valid response, but apart from that, yeah.”

“I think, I’d kind of already figured it out. I was... prepared for it? The feathers and the teleportation, and everything else just… I think I was finally accepting it. And then I saw… that.”

“It’s a scary thing to see.”

“I don’t think it was the face that scared me. More like, the realisation that all of it was real. That I’d been given so many opportunities to understand but I kept ignoring the evidence. And now the universe is suddenly much bigger and weirder than I thought it was. I mean, I’ve been working with him all this time, he’s been my friend, but he was Lucifer, you know? And now he’s _Lucifer_ and everything he said about his history and his family are _literally true!_ ” She sighed and rubbed at her neck. “But I still haven’t had a chance to think about what any of that means because Pierce- the guy who I nearly _married_ and who may actually be Cain from the Bible- is dead, and I can’t tell anyone the real reason why or how it happened. And I’m lying in my reports to cover for him, because what else can I do? And Ella keeps asking questions I’m not sure how to answer without sounding crazy, and Dan’s about ready to explode with the need to know what went down, and I can’t tell him, and I can’t tell anyone, and it is all so seriously messed up, I don’t know where to begin!”

“You can tell me. When you’re ready, you can talk to Maze, and Lucifer too. But if you need more time, that’s allowed, and acceptable. This is huge.”

“I kissed him, Linda. He told me he was a monster, and I didn’t believe him, and I kissed him. The actual Devil.”

Now wasn’t the time to remind her that I was very much in touch with that feeling. Because I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the kiss that bothered her, it was the emotions that went with it. “You have strong feelings for him, don’t you?”

“Yes. I care about him, a lot. Honestly, that’s an understatement. I… I was starting to think I was in love with him.”

“Was?” Sometimes a one word question was enough of a prompt.

“I mean… he's the literal devil. It's not a metaphor. His Dad is God. He's a fallen angel. How could that possibly work?”

“No one ever knows how a relationship will work when they start out. But that’s not the question. How do you _feel?_ ”

“Hurt. Angry. Betrayed. Which is ridiculous because it turns out he never actually lied. He just let me choose not to believe. He hurt me so bad the last time we got close, but I thought I could trust him again. Now I just don’t know.”

“By ‘the last time,’ you mean Candy?” She nodded silently. “He had his reasons.”

“Then why couldn’t he explain them to me? Why couldn’t he trust me?”

“Because they were reasons of epic and Divine proportions, and you wouldn’t have accepted them.”

She scoffed. “Because whenever I did get him to tell me the honest truth, I just rejected it, called it a metaphor. Why did he even stay?”

“That’s a question that I can’t answer. But I’m pretty sure if you think about it, you can figure it out.”

“Understanding Lucifer? Impossible. Half of what he does makes no sense at all.”

“Does it though? In light of what you now know?” I watched as her brain tried to shift through more than two years worth of Luciferness. “Pick one event, one crazy thing that he did, and look at it again, with this new perspective.”

“What, like making me shoot him?”

“Good place to start.”

“He really was expecting it to bounce off, wasn’t he? But it didn’t. Why didn’t it?”

I shook my head. On second thoughts, maybe another event might have been better. “Oh no, I’m not going anywhere near that one. You save that conversation for him. Pick something else.”

“Okay. Most recently, I guess that would be his paranoia during the guardian angel case… Oh. Fuck.” I watched as the penny dropped. She stood up and started pacing the room. “How… ? Wings! The wings, the scars, the stolen container…” she put down her coffee and pressed her fingers to her forehead as a thousand little things started to filter through and make more sense than they ever had before. “What do I do now?”

“Here's a random idea, but maybe talk to him? Find out if you still feel the same way and then figure out what you want to do about It?”

She stopped pacing and looked at me incredulously. “Are you saying that I should be thinking about going steady with Satan?”

“He's Lucifer. He's the same person he's always been.”

“Except that always in this case means _since before the dawn of time!_ ”

“Okay, yeah, when you put it like that, it does sound a little crazy. But it doesn’t mean that what the two of you had, that closeness, is any less real.”

“Doesn’t it?” she asked, sitting down again. “I mean, what if this is all just a game to him?”

“It’s not. He just… he deals with things differently. His perspective is somewhat more complicated than ours. Plus… well, cast into Hell and everything. To say he’s been through a lot would be the biggest understatement ever.” Which wasn’t breaking any confidences because everyone knows that part. I took her hands and asked her the question so I wouldn’t have to answer it. “Why do you think he stays with you?”

“I…” she squeezed my fingers. “I guess… we make a good team. It’s fun for him, but also doing something meaningful. He seems intrigued by people, which makes more sense now.”

“Those are all good reasons for doing police work, but why with you?”

Her lips rolled inwards, a small crease appeared between her brows. “A few days ago, I would have had an answer. But now, it just doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing’s actually changed, Chloe.”

“Except it has. Because he just killed someone. And I know he has a temper, but he’s not a killer. And he’s going to need help dealing with that.” She nodded, reaching a decision. “Whatever else might happen or not happen, I need to be there for him as a friend. Because this is a big deal.”

“Good. That's really good and I'm sure it will help.” It gave her back some of her power too, have her something definite to focus on.

“I'll get Dan to pick Trixie up from school. Then I'll call Lucifer.” She picked up phone and flicked at the screen. I felt my own phone buzz at my hip and looked to find a message from Maze. _Guess who just turned up? Hint- he's still shirtless._ I left Chloe talking to Dan and rang her back from the kitchen. 

“Lucifer's here?” I whispered.

“Yeah. He's lurking out back.”

“How does he look?”

“I dunno. Lithe but muscley?” 

“Not what I meant. Is he nervous, dark and broody, or ready to break something?”

“His hair’s a mess.” Helpful. “I think he's working up the courage to come in.”

Just as she said It, there was a light tap at the back door. I watched as Chloe stood up and saw him. She hesitated for a second, and then ran and opened the door, her arms flinging around him before he could speak. I saw his startled expression, but he held her anyway, in spite of his confusion. Then she pulled away, embarrassed. 

“I should probably just… um… excuse me.” I grabbed the bag from beside the sofa and walked out quickly.

***

Maze was back in the car by the time I got there.

“So you think they're finally gonna bone?” she asked, after I dropped the bag in the back and sat down beside her.

I sighed. “If only. But no, not today. Even with him all foxy like that, she's still got way too much to think about.”

“That girl needs to stop thinking and just _do_. And when I say do, I mean-”

“Yes, Maze, I know what you mean,” I interrupted before she could start demonstrating and giving me any more ideas. “And in some ways, you’re totally right, but she would just go back to over-thinking again afterwards.”

Maze grinned. “Not for a while. This is Lucifer we’re talking about, remember?”

“Oh, I remember. And he’s so far gone on her, I’m pretty sure he could keep her brain from functioning for at least a week.” My laugh came out dirtier than I meant it to.

“Maybe we need to get her drunk. She’s a lot more fun when she’s drunk.”

“That’s not such a bad idea, actually. I mean, not falling over drunk, but happy, letting her hair down drunk. We need another tribe night.”

“Hell yeah. That hen party sucked.”

“You organised it!”

“Yeah, well, I was trying something, it didn’t pan out. This will be better.”

A master plan emerged. “We should totally do it at LUX.”

“And when you say do it-”

“I mean the girls’ night!” Though now she had turned my words into an innuendo I _was_ getting ideas. Like her dragging me into one those bathroom stalls and pushing me hard up against the wall, kissing me until I forgot how to breathe. What was I saying? Oh yeah. “Then, when she’s drunk enough, we can send her upstairs and-”

“And they can finally make the beast with two backs?”

“Or, just, you know, talk properly, have some quality time without distractions.”

“You do remember we’re _still_ talking about Lucifer?”

“And Chloe. And honestly, I ship them more than anyone, but she’s just found out it’s all true, she’s gonna need time to mentally adjust.”

“If you say so. I mean, you are the expert on all the emotion crap. But if someone was that into me, I’d be humping them into the middle of next week.”

For some reason, the last part of that made my chest tighten. I started to realise I was fighting a losing battle. 

“So we give them a couple of weeks,” she suggested, oblivious to the effects she was having on me. “Let them stew in their own juices, and by the time we do LUX, she’ll be gagging for it.”

I gave up trying to explain. “Sure. Why not.” You never know, it _might_ work, and then my job would get a whole lot easier.


	5. We talked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer is back in therapy.  
> Meanwhile, celestials are taking sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I missed posting at the weekend, real life happened. But it's all okay now.  
> Thanks for all the lovely kudos and comments you keep sending me, I am a very happy fairy!  
> Thanks as always to my perfect beta, FluffyGlitterPantsDragon.

When Lucifer showed up at my office later that afternoon, he was looking much more like his old self again. His hair was perfect, his dark grey suit was pristine, and his eyes, though not quite gleaming, were a lot less haunted than they were the night before. I'd saved the last spot of the day for him, though I wasn't sure if he'd turn up or not. I was pleased that he did.

“So, how'd it go?” I asked as he picked at my candy.

“We talked.”

“That's good. What did you talk about?”

He chewed thoughtfully. “Me, obviously.” I waited for more. “We touched a little on my history. Being cast out, what I’ve been up to since then. I may have been vague on the details.”

“Are you worried how she might react to that?”

“Not as much as I was. She’s not running yet, so it’s possible she could learn to live with it.” He reached into the bowl again. “She’s happy for us to continue working together, once all the mess with Pierce is cleared up.”

I nodded. “You called him Pierce this time, not Cain.”

“In context, she was referring to untimely death of our dear departed boss, and the pending investigation. Hence ‘Pierce’ mess. Which is a completely different issue to the ‘Cain’ mess in which I, as a celestial, have broken all the rules and taken a human life, one who was protected by a fairly significant curse no less, and may be about to suffer the full force of Dad’s wrath once again.” He grabbed a handful and leant back, popping the gummies into his mouth one at a time.

“Are you enjoying that candy, or are you just binging out of nerves?”

He threw in a few more, his next words slightly muffled. “Nerves, clearly. And yes, I’m aware of that _and_ I’m admitting to it. Because of the whole Cain mess.”

“You’ve been worried about your Dad’s interventions, before though. This seems more significant.”

“It _is_ more significant, aren’t you paying attention? _I killed Cain!_ He was a git, and he deserved it, and if I hadn’t, he would never have left us alone, but there will be dire consequences. Possibly for the people I care about.”

“Then perhaps we need to start thinking about what we can do, instead of waiting for the worst.”

“I’d tell you start praying, but I’m not sure if He’d answer. You could try appealing to my brother, I suppose, he might put in a good word for you.”

I made a non-commital noise.

“You already have, haven’t you? I guess by the lack of song and dance that there was no response from him either?”

“Not yet, anyway.”

“Strange. He’s usually so good at poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

“Okay, now you’ve successfully sidetracked me for a bit, let’s get back to what _your_ next steps should be.”

“Well, I can say with certainty that Cain is where he belongs. I’ve made sure of that at least.”

It took me a moment to work out what he meant. “You went to Hell? Is that where you disappeared to?”

“Mmm,” he replied through a mouthful of sugar. He brought it up though, so he must have wanted to discuss it on some level.

“What was that like?” I asked, with honest wonder and a certain amount of trepidation.

He smirked slightly. “There were parts of it I rather enjoyed. Seeing Cain suffer was one of them.”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ask the obvious question, but something told me I needed to do so. “What was his punishment?”

He folded his now empty hands over his crossed knee. “He got to watch the Detective lose interest in him.”

“Doesn’t sound that bad.”

“In his loop, she chose me instead.” No one could look smug quite like Lucifer.

“Really? How much did you see?”

He sighed. “Enough to make me think about staying. I should have come back sooner, but I couldn’t resist watching the replay.”

Time moves differently there, I remembered. “So when I saw you at Chloe’s apartment, you’d just come back? How long were you there?”

“Hard to say. It was slightly fluid, a bit like watching a romantic movie montage. A few weeks or more. I thought if I watched it again, I could enjoy the good part and be prepared for what came after, but the ending still sucked so I left.”

“How did it end?”

“He killed her.” 

I swallowed. It made sense of course, she was one thing he seemed to care about and to destroy her again and again would be a suitable punishment. “That must have been hard. What on earth- or rather, in Hell- could be good enough to make you sit through that twice?”

“She kissed me- the other me. And not the pretty version either.”

“Wow. That would do it, I guess.” We both sat staring quietly for a few moments. “Is that what you really want?” I asked at last.

“It doesn’t matter. It could never happen. Still, I suppose I can always pay Cain a visit if I’m having a masochistic moment.”

I eyed him. I had a sneaking suspicion he’d stayed for more than one replay. “You do want it though. Not necessarily that particular kiss, but that level of acceptance. Now that she’s seen you, and she still wants to be your friend, a part of you is starting to hope that it could happen. That maybe the monster you see in yourself is not so completely unlovable after all.”

“I thought that once. I thought that she loved me, that it was real. I don’t know if I dare let myself hope again.” He sighed. “Especially in light of recent events. No, it’s enough that she’s not given up on me. We can carry on just as we were.”

“Not exactly. She knows now. The dynamics will change. You’ll both have to adapt.”

“So we adapt. I’ve adapted a lot already, I think I’ll cope. But I’ll be there to protect her. And you, too.”

“That means a lot, actually. And I’ve got Maze too. She’s put a 500 yard limit on distance between us, just in case. She’s loitering somewhere nearby as we speak.”

“Really?” He seemed genuinely surprised. “Well, I suppose if even Maze can get that sentimental there may be hope for me after all.”

Hope. Maybe, if I were the Devil, it would be hard to hope too. “Would it be all right, if I did some hoping on your behalf?”

His lips turned upwards, ever so slightly. “Yes. I think that might be acceptable. So Doctor, what _do_ we do next?”

“I suppose I could try Amenadiel again. See if he could clue us in on what’s happening upstairs, what we should expect.” And brace myself for silence again. Then a thought occurred to me. “Is there a chance I’m not doing it right?”

“What, praying?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s fairly straight forward. You put your hands together, and call his name. You don’t even have to say it out loud, but there has to be an intention it, a will to be heard.”

I didn’t do the hands last time, maybe that was why it didn’t work. “I can do that. What are you going to do?”

“I expect it’s time to call in a few favours. Get some eyes and ears out there, set up a safety net. Dad’s more likely to try and persuade someone else to do his dirty work for him, which means attacks could come from human sources. And now that I’ve got my other face back, it should be a simple matter of scaring them off. Hopefully I won’t have to actually kill anyone else.”

There it was, at last. “How are you coping with that?”

“Having my face back?”

“No. You killed someone Lucifer, aside from all the outside consequences, that’s got to do something to you. It’s something you’ve got to deal with.”

“I know,” he said, completely unshaken. “I’ve been here before, haven’t I? Only this time it feels easier.”

“Before?”

“When I killed my brother Uriel,” he explained calmly.

 _Holy shit._ Suddenly, it all came tumbling back, the ridiculous story about his brother coming down from Heaven and a Divine blade- except it wasn’t a ridiculous story. I’d dismissed it, and then he showed me and I’d fallen apart so hard the original point had been lost. He’d killed his brother. And I’d missed it.

“Lucifer, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s hardly your fault.”

“No, I mean, you needed help, and I was so caught up in my own questions, I didn’t… I’m a bad therapist.”

“No, Doctor, not at all. You’re amazing, and I’m living proof of that. Look how far we’ve come.”

“But to go through that alone-”

“I wasn’t alone. I had Mum. She made me see it wasn’t my fault, I had to do it. Just like I had to kill Cain. The Detective and I talked, and she understands. She helped me make sense of... how it feels. Because she’s been through the same thing. She knows.”

“That sounds… intimate.”

He breathed deeply. “It was. I’ve always been honest with her, but her skepticism has always been a protective layer.”

“The condom of disbelief.” I said it out loud as it popped into my head. Perhaps I shouldn’t have, but Lucifer laughed.

“Exactly. And now we’re talking bareback, and it’s, well, it’s wonderful.”

“It’s strange, but often tragedy is a thing that brings us closer together.”

“Indeed. I think the thing I’ve learned through all this is that I’m not alone anymore. Not just the Detective, but you, and Dan and Ella, all of you- you’re all part of my life now.” 

It gave me goosebumps to hear him say it. I smiled. “That’s good.”

“It’s bloody terrifying, is what it is.” And he reached for another handful of candy.

***

_The Angel of Death walked the halls of the hospital, gathering souls as she went. It was the most relaxing part of her job. Most of them at least suspected it was coming, if not known and prepared for it. As much as one can prepare for death at any rate. Some of them were even glad to see her, and one even danced, proclaiming she hadn't been able to do that in years. Azrael smiled, showing her the right path before she noticed the other humans weeping over the body. Because that never went well._

_She knew the voice that prayed to her as soon as it entered her mind. There was no mistaking the haughty tone. Michael. All he gave her was a list of names._

_Chloe Decker._  
_Beatrice Espinoza._  
_Linda Martin._  
_Daniel Espinoza._  
_Ella Lopez._

_She stopped dead. Holding up her hand, as if he were there, she interrupted him. “No!” His intent was clear, he didn't have to put it words. After a pause, the list continued. Seven names in all. All of them familiar. All of them close to her favourite brother. Who she still missed terribly after all this time._

_She wouldn't do it, and she told Michael so. She took souls, not lives. Just because one their kind had killed a human, it didn't mean that they could all start doing it without consequences._

_Michael just kept repeating the names. She did her best to ignore him. But maybe it was time to visit her young friend again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a word of warning, the rating may go up in a few chapters' time. ;)
> 
> For thoe of you who like that kind of thing, keep a look out as I've just signed up to the Lucibingo and there will be more of all my favourite ships.


	6. Tribe Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls all head over to LUX for some much needed down time.  
> All of them get a little surprise, in one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awesome betaing by FluffyGlitterPantsDragon. Go on, look her up if you haven't already.

Two weeks. 

Two weeks of Maze pretending to sleep on the sofa, but every time I woke in the night I found her curled up in my door frame like a guard dog. I still resisted the urge to say screw it and invite her to snuggle up next to me in my bed, but every day the temptation grew more powerful. She had so much presence, it was difficult to ignore her. She was strong when I was feeling vulnerable; her fierceness made me feel safe. She squeezed every last drop of pleasure out of life, finding ways to make our time together fun. And we were getting through an awful lot of alcohol between the two of us.

Two weeks of trying to get on with work while trying not to be distracted by thoughts of her skin on mine; trying not to freak out about the impending wrath of God. It was lucky I was a therapist and had trained myself to keep my own feelings out of sessions.

Two weeks of praying to my former lover, usually in my office when I was sure I didn’t have a demon peeking over my shoulder, with nothing but silence in return. Well, maybe not quite nothing. I started to notice that strange sensation happened every time. It was as fleeting as a shiver, sometimes on my arm, sometimes my shoulder or my face. The first few times I thought I was just imagining his caress, but then one time it felt firmer, a deliberate squeeze. And it happened again the next time I prayed. Was he trying to reassure me somehow? Let me know that he heard, even if he couldn't answer? It left with me with even more questions, but I still kept praying, kept hoping.

Two weeks of Lucifer dropping by every other day, partly to make sure I was okay and partly because he was still struggling with everything that had happened and everything that _might_ happen. He told me that they'd managed to clear up the “Pierce mess” and he was back at work with the Detective. Apparently a few of the ass-hat's minions had been persuaded to give statements about the less than legal elements of his organisation, as well as the fact that he intended to kill Lucifer. Our sweet Devil had pulled several strings to make sure the hearing went through extra quickly. It was labelled self defence; no one wanted too much attention on the fact that a criminal mastermind had been working so high up in the ranks of the police. 

Finally it was the Friday and we would all be going out that night. But around lunch I had an unexpected call from Dan. 

“Hi Linda. I was wondering if it would be all right if I came to see you. Things have been… well it's been tough. And I know how highly Lucifer thinks of you. And I wondered if you might be able to help. In a professional capacity, I mean.”

“Are you sure? You don't think someone a bit further outside your social circle might be better?”

“I don't know. I kind of like the idea of not having to explain the craziness that is my life to somebody new.”

I hesitated. I knew way too much about the craziness and I wasn't sure if I could pretend that it was all mundane and ordinary. “I'm sorry, this is awkward,” I said, unsure how to explain. 

“Is it because we kissed that one time?”

_Wait, what? _When had I kissed Dan?__

__“Because I can totally forget that ever happened, if it helps.”_ _

__So can I, apparently. But it made it impossible to say no now. “Oh no, I didn't, I mean…” _Shit._ “We're all good. I've had a cancellation, I can fit you in on Monday?”_ _

__“That would be great, actually. I was kind of expecting there to be a longer waiting list.”_ _

__“Cancellations happen a lot around here. Usually when people get some kind of audition. Twelve thirty okay?”_ _

__“Yeah. See you then.”_ _

__I spent the rest of the day trying to remember when that mysterious kiss took place._ _

__***_ _

__I shut myself in my room to get ready for the night out. It took a while to curl my hair and re-apply my makeup, and then I had to squeeze into my dress. It was dark red lace, with elbow length sleeves and a flared skirt. I had bought it because it was gorgeous and one of the many lessons I had learnt from Lucifer was not to deny myself beautiful things. I had been waiting for an excuse to wear it out, and LUX was an excuse for anything. I opened the door, ready to give Maze a twirl, and stopped dead._ _

__She was bent over towards a mirror that hung on the wall, applying red lipstick. Her ass looked perfectly round in her tight leather pants, and the temptation to walk over and slap it was almost overwhelming. She wore a halter neck top which left her back bare, save for the criss-crossed strings which held it in place. Her hair was scraped back into a high ponytail. She smiled and turned around playfully. “Does the Doctor like?” There was a keyhole cut out of her top, just enough to reveal a hint of cleavage._ _

__“Mmm-hmm,” I managed, nodding. I tried not to stare, and then realised she would be the last person to care about something like that, so I let my eyes linger over every curve._ _

__She walked towards me and took my hand. “You look pretty amazing yourself. We could always stay in you know,” she teased._ _

__“Uh-uh,” I said, pushing her away gently. “We have a plan. A very important plan, which takes precedence over whatever distractions you plan to torture me with today.”_ _

__“You think this is torture?” she laughed, going back to the counter for her drink._ _

__“I think you keep trying to seduce me.”_ _

__“I’m _trying_ to respect your boundaries. Normally when I want something, I just take it. And if I wanted to sleep with you, all I’d have to do would be to get naked and crawl in your bed.” She said it with absolute certainty, and I knew she was right. I think I gave up the battle then and there. “But you said it wasn’t the right time, so I’m waiting. Look at me, being all patient and responsible.” She down half a glass of vodka and handed me my purse. “Come on, let’s go have fun. And see if we can get Decker laid.”_ _

__***_ _

__Ella was waiting for us at the bar with a line of shots, her black minidress glittering subtly in the lights. She stood up and grabbed us both at once. “Hey, girlfriends! I am so glad to see you!” She stepped back and handed each of us a tiny glass. We clinked and knocked them back. “Sooo, how’ve you been?”_ _

__“Busy!” It seemed like a safe answer, and I was here to enjoy myself, not worry about problems._ _

__“I’ll bet. I know there is more going on with this whole Pierce thing than those two are saying. They’re both wound up really tight and barely said two words to each other all week. I don’t suppose you could-”_ _

__“Not a chance!” I said firmly, but with a laugh._ _

__“Fine,” she said cheekily. “I’ll just have to get Chloe drunk and see if she spills.”_ _

__“Not too drunk, though,” Maze clarified. “She has to be sober enough to get taken upstairs at the end of night.”_ _

__“Oh! So this is a matchmaking exercise?”_ _

__“In Maze’s mind, yes. I just need them to talk to each other more.”_ _

__“They can talk all they want after they’ve boned,” Maze said, handing us both another shot._ _

__I downed it and chuckled. “If Lucifer’s up to his usual standards, Chloe won’t be able to talk at all afterwards.”_ _

__Ella’s eyes went wide. “He’s really that good?”_ _

__“It’s almost like he’s got superpowers or something,” I said in a stage whisper._ _

__“I’m starting to wish I’d taken him up on the offer while I had the chance. Decker is a lucky girl.” She turned as the Detective in question walked up behind her. “Speak of the Devil!”_ _

__Chloe froze, blinked, and then hugged her. “Hi. How are you doing?” I could tell it was a weighted question._ _

__“Good,” Ella replied. “All quiet in here today.”_ _

__I gave a curious look. “Is there Ella gossip I’m missing out on?”_ _

__“I’m not saying anything until I’ve had a lot more to drink,” she declared. “And possibly not even then.”_ _

__“Oh, now I _have_ to know!”_ _

__“Get used to disappointment,” she quoted._ _

__“Why are we here, anyway?” Chloe asked. “Isn’t it a little… close to home?”_ _

__“Patrick!” Maze called across the bar. He excused himself from another customer and walked towards her. “Cocktails!” He pulled several bottles off the shelf and began mixing. “That’s why,” Maze said happily as he handed them each something different and delicious._ _

__“You get preferential service?”_ _

__She chuckled. “Amongst other things.” The look she gave Patrick made me feel slightly jealous. He must have been one of her ‘snacks.’ On more than occasion, by the way he smiled back. I found my fingers sliding up her arm to her to grip her shoulder posessively. Patrick went back to the other patrons and Maze turned her gaze to me. That was better._ _

__The first cocktails didn’t last long, but at least there was no waiting for a refill. After the second one, Ella declared that it was time to dance and Maze let herself be dragged away. I stayed at the bar with Chloe. “How’s it going post-revelation?” I asked._ _

__“It’s getting easier, I think. I mean, working with Lucifer will never be normal, but I think we’re getting our mojo back.”_ _

__“Working?” I prompted, with what I hoped was a serious look._ _

__“Mm-hm.” She sucked at her straw._ _

__Blow the rules, this was girls’ night not a therapy session. “I don’t care about working. How does it feel? Are you still reeling, or do you think this might be going somewhere?”_ _

__“He’s… ugh! He’s driving me totally mad! Yesterday I saw him pointing the forensics camera down his pants! And I didn’t even say anything because how I can possibly tell the Devil that he’s being an ass?”_ _

__“You always used to. Maybe he’s trying to provoke you deliberately.”_ _

__“If he is, then he’s being a dick about it. I thought we had a moment when we talked after everything. But then he just clammed up again. Same story, again and again, and I need to learn to stop expecting more from him.”_ _

__“You know _why_ he clams up and goes distant every time, though right?”_ _

__“No, I don’t have a single clue.”_ _

__I debated telling her for about half a second, but I was just getting so sick of the three steps forward and two steps back. “Because he’s fucking shitting himself! He’s never been in love before, he doesn’t know how to deal with it, and he’s scared his Dad’s going to take everything away from him again.”_ _

__Chloe stared at me blankly._ _

__“Sorry, that was a lot. Which part’s thrown you?”_ _

__“Um, all of it?” She gestured for more drink. Patrick obliged. “Okay, first- any thoughts about Lucifer's Dad are still kinda… immense. I don't think I'm fully adjusted to that part yet. Second- Lucifer’s in love me?”_ _

__“Shit, you didn’t know?”_ _

__“How was I supposed to know?” she demanded._ _

__“I don’t know, the kissing, the romantic dinners, the big, dramatic gestures?”_ _

__“Yes, but he’s Lucifer- he kisses a lot of people. I mean, like, a _lot_. I was never sure I was any different to anyone else.” She looked at me again. “You really think he does?”_ _

__“I know he does.”_ _

__“But he’s…”_ _

__“I’m not saying it’s not going to be complicated. Yes, he’s the Devil. Yes, he has _so many_ issues. But he does love you.”_ _

__She nodded slowly. “I need to think about this. I can’t just...”_ _

__“No. No, you’re right, this is huge and you can’t just jump straight into bed with the Devil, so to speak.”_ _

__“But you did.”_ _

__“Yes. Which may have been ill-advised. But in my defense he _does_ have supernatural powers of attraction.”_ _

__“So that is a thing? It just doesn’t work on me.”_ _

__“Oh, it is _so_ a thing.”_ _

__“Does it still work?”_ _

__“Yes, but I’m a lot better at ignoring it these days. And I have many reasons to keep telling myself it’s a very bad idea.”_ _

__“For you. But not for me.”_ _

__“You’re one of the reasons, darling.”_ _

__Ella returned with rosy cheeks, and Patrick poured her another drink. “So what did I miss?” she asked._ _

__“Apparently, Lucifer’s in love with me.”_ _

__“Yeah, no shit, Detective, you just working that out?”_ _

__“How…? Maze, tell me I’m not the only one who didn’t know this.”_ _

__Maze rolled her eyes. “I’ve been listening to him obsess over you for _three years,_ Decker. It’s old news. It’s possible Dan hasn’t worked it out yet though. So not completely the last to know.”_ _

__I choked a little at the mention of Dan, but managed not to spray my drink._ _

__“Now there’s a welcome distraction,” Chloe said. “Something you’d like to share with the group, Doctor Linda?”_ _

__“Fine!” I’d drunk enough, and it was an easy enough secret to get the ball rolling. If I bared my soul, then Ella might tell me what was going on with her after. “Dan called me about something today, but then he mentioned that we’d kissed. And I cannot for the life of remember when that happened.”_ _

__“This just casually came up in conversation?” Ella asked, incredulous._ _

__“It made sense in context, but that doesn’t matter. I’ve been trying to figure it out all day and I keep drawing a blank.”_ _

__“My birthday,” Chloe said. “You took one look at his power drill and spent the rest of the night flirting outrageously with him.”_ _

__The memories crept back one by one. We’d made a dent in Lucifer’s wall of alcohol. “I asked him to show me his tools! Oh my- Zeus! I’m a total whore!”_ _

__“Not totally. You managed to draw the line at sleeping with my ex in front of me on my birthday, though if there had been a door on the bedroom, it might have been a different story.”_ _

__Okay, now this was sufficiently embarrassing. I decided more alcohol was a good solution._ _

__“So, was it good?” Maze asked, licking her lips._ _

__“I can’t remember!” I lied. It was good. His arms felt amazing. And he was very attentive. But I was not going to admit that in front of Chloe._ _

__“If I kissed you, you would never forget it,” she boasted._ _

__“I have no doubts!” I agreed, reaching for her arm again._ _

__“Do you two need to get a room?” Ella suggested. “Because I hear they have those here.”_ _

__“Not yet,” I said, holding up a finger. “I still haven’t heard the Ella gossip.”_ _

__She groaned. “Okay, but you have to promise not to analyse me or label me with anything. Because I’ve heard it all before.”_ _

__That was concerning, and sounded less fun than I thought it would be. But it was Ella, and she was part of the tribe, so I gave her my word._ _

__“I had a visit from an old friend yesterday.”_ _

__“That’s not that weird.”_ _

__“It is when I’m the only one who can see her.”_ _

__Several things ran through my head, but none of them seemed to fit. Not with Ella._ _

__“Okay, go on, then, let me have it,” she sighed._ _

__“No,” I tried to sound reassuring, but I’d drunk a lot by now. “You don’t fit the profile for any… well, any of the crazy stuff. Who is she?”_ _

__“She told me she’s a ghost.”_ _

__“Nuh-uh,” Maze said, leaning towards her. “No such thing as ghosts.”_ _

__“You don’t know that,” Ella challenged._ _

__“Actually, I do. From working in Hell.”_ _

__“Isn’t that Lucifer’s thing?”_ _

__“Yeah. He was the boss. We were there together.”_ _

__Their eyes locked together, Maze daring her to believe the truth._ _

__“You’re kidding me, right?” She looked at Chloe. “She’s kidding.”_ _

__Chloe cleared her throat._ _

__Ella was starting to look worried. She looked at me. “Please tell me she's kidding.”_ _

__I wanted to tell her yes, it was just a joke, a metaphor, but the words stuck in my throat. It was hard to tell such a blatant lie. I drew a breath, but let it out silently._ _

__Ella gaped at me. “Seriously? That's the big secret? He's been telling the truth all this time?”_ _

__“Yeah,” Chloe said, taking her hand for reassurance. “Which is why I've been freaking out the last two weeks. Welcome to the club of knowing. It sucks.”_ _

__Ella looked at each of us in turn, her hand touching the cross at her neck when she got to Maze. “Patrick!” the demon called. “We are going to need a lot more shots!”_ _

__Three rounds later Ella seemed to have recovered a little of her equilibrium. “So you're a demon?” she slurred._ _

__“Yep. An awesome one.”_ _

__“And Lucifer's… _Lucifer_. And in love with Chloe?” Her voice rose in question at the end, her face perplexed._ _

__“I'm not sure how that happened either.”_ _

__“Wait-” she turned and took Chloe's hand again. “Are you guys still going to get together?”_ _

__“I'm thinking about it. I mean, I knew he was never going to be the usual kind of boyfriend when I kissed him, right?”_ _

__“You kissed? You never said!”_ _

__“I'm sorry! A lot happened, it got complicated.”_ _

__She spun back to me. “And you slept with him!”_ _

__“Yes. I slept with the Devil. So did a lot of people. I also slept with his brother, who is an angel. And I'm probably about to sleep with this demon too.”_ _

__“Are you?” Maze looked at me, her eyes twinkling._ _

__I smiled at her, knowing that I'd already made the decision. “Yes. Later. After we finish our night out.”_ _

__“In that case, you need to ease off the alcohol,” she said, taking the glass out of my hand._ _

__“Shall we dance?” I suggested. She took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I could see Ella and Chloe sitting at the bar, hands in that vice like grip, talking in an animated fashion. Maze moved her hips to the music, drawing me closer. I shivered as our bodies touched. The song was Bowie’s “Heroes” and we swayed together, her arms curling around my back. I reached up and draped my hands over her neck, pulling her head down towards mine._ _

__“Friends, right?” she whispered in my ear. “Whatever else happens?”_ _

__I nodded. “Friends. Who just want to put our bodies a bit closer together.” I felt her breath on my face, and then our lips brushed together. I had expected her to be so hungry and demanding, but it was delicate and tender. Her tongue darted into my mouth, tasting, searching, and I pulled her towards me more firmly, savouring every moment of exploration._ _

___And we kissed, as though nothing could fall…_ _ _

__The song ended, and we broke apart, breathless. “Well, you’re right,” I spoke into her ear, “I’m never going to forget that one.”_ _

__“Do we need to get that room, or can you still wait until we get home?” she asked, teasing her fingers along my spine._ _

__“I can wait. I’ve had a lot of practise at resisting temptation, and I’m enjoying the anticipation. Also that kiss was good enough to last me at least an hour. Though I might need another one or two before we go.”_ _

__Her smile was wanton. “That sounds good to me. In the meantime, I’m going to help Ella with those shots.”_ _

__“And I better help her with her slowly imploding brain.”_ _

__The rest of the evening flew by in a flood of questions and answers about Lucifer, and then mutated into a crazy kind of girl talk, ranging from the feasibility of dating the _actual Devil,_ especially as a single mother, to the comparative sexual prowess of celestial beings. Maze stood behind me as I sat on the bar stool, her arms circling me, sometimes pulling my hair aside to kiss lightly at my neck._ _

__Suddenly Ella had a moment of clarity. “Maze, you said ghosts aren't real. Does that mean I'm crazy after all?”_ _

__Maze’s head tilted as she considered. The light hit her cheekbones and made her look especially beautiful. “She could be something else though. What's she like?”_ _

__“Tiny, Asian, short hair, nerdy glasses.”_ _

__“Does she have a name?”_ _

__“Rae-Rae.”_ _

__I felt her hands tighten on my shoulders._ _

__“You know her don't you?” Chloe asked._ _

__“Only by reputation. I've never met her personally.”_ _

__“Maze,” I turned to her, concerned, “if I didn't know any better, I'd say you looked… scared.”_ _

__“That's because her imaginary friend is the freakin’ Angel of Death! She's legitimately scary!”_ _

__“Rae-Rae? No way. She's a dork. Isn't she?”_ _

__“That kinda makes more sense, actually,” Chloe said. “You said you first met her when you were in a car wreck. If she’s the Angel of Death, maybe she was there on business.”_ _

__Ella glared at her, wide eyed. “You mean I was supposed to die? Or someone else was?”_ _

__“Maybe you won her over with your sunny personality,” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood._ _

__“Azrael? Nuh-uh. She walks the land in the wake of destruction and doesn't even blink.” Maze was clearly struggling with this. “Sometimes souls recreate her in their Hell loop, even though they can't consciously remember who she is. She's eerie.”_ _

__“But this is good right?” I said as an idea occurred to me. “If she's Ella’s friend, she might be able to help us.”_ _

__Maze considered for a moment. “I suppose it can't hurt to have another angel on our side. Especially one as strong as Azrael,” she admitted._ _

__“On our side? Is our side in trouble?” Ella asked._ _

__“Nothing you need to worry about right now,” I said calmly. “But if anything out of the ordinary happens, maybe give Rae-Rae a call.”_ _

__“She's a ghost, she doesn't have a phone...” Her brain was still catching up._ _

__“She's not a ghost, she's an angel. You can pray.” She might even give you a straight answer, unlike some people. But I wasn’t going to think about _him_ right now. Tonight was turning out to be amazing. I was talking freely with my friends about all the stuff I’d had to gloss over for the last couple of years, we had a free bar and good music, and there was a sexy demon to play with when I got home._ _

__And then the Devil himself came gliding down the stairs to sit at the piano and serenade us. _“When the earth was still flat, and the clouds made of fire, and the mountains stretched up to the sky, sometimes higher…”_ His voice began so softly, rising into a wild passion and back to heartache. I don’t know if it was just the song, or because of everything that was going on, or because he knew Chloe was listening but it felt like he was baring his soul. I squeezed my demon tightly and drank slowly, completely enchanted. He came to join us when he’d finished. Patrick had a glass of whisky ready for him._ _

__“How’s my four favourite ladies?” he asked, his usual charming self._ _

__Chloe smiled awkwardly. Ella stared at him for a short minute and then dropped down from her bar stool to fling her arms around him._ _

__“Oh hello!” he patted her back lightly. “Someone’s been enjoying my bar! Is this just alcohol induced or have I done something to earn it?”_ _

__“You’re _Lucifer_ ,” she explained._ _

__“Yes. Have been for a long time now.”_ _

__“A very, very, very, very, _very_ long time.” She looked up at him. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”_ _

__“I’m confused,” he admitted._ _

__“I told her everything,” Maze said. “She gets it now.”_ _

__“Yes, but why is she hugging me? Shouldn’t she be running away, or cursing my name, or something?”_ _

__“We’re your friends, Lucifer,” I told him. “We’re not going to abandon you.”_ _

__His arms slowly settled on Ella’s shoulders and he breathed a heavy sigh before he guided her back to her seat. Then he looked at me and Maze. “So are you two shagging yet?”_ _

__Because that was exactly the moment that Lucifer would abruptly change the subject._ _

__“We will be later,” Maze told him._ _

__“Lovely. I’d say have fun, but I feel it would be rather redundant. Go easy on the nipples, though, Mazikeen, she’s rather sensitive. Doctor, you can do whatever you like with her, and don’t be afraid to boss her around, she likes that.” Maze narrowed her eyes. “Don’t look so suspicious, somebody needs to have some fun around here.”_ _

__Chloe was still staring into her glass. I reached around a slightly swaying Ella and gave her a nudge. Lucifer looked at her as he pulled at his cuffs. “Detective?” he said hopefully._ _

__She responded by punching him on the arm. Hard._ _

__“Ow! What was that for?”_ _

__“For being an ass.” And then she stood up, placed a hand on either side of his face, and kissed him. “And that's for just being you.”_ _

__“Is this the part where something catastrophic happens to break us apart again because I'm not sure my heart can take it.”_ _

__She shook her head. “Whatever happens next, I'm not letting you go this time.”_ _

__He held her close and inhaled her hair. Joy and fear mingled in his eyes, still not quite believing._ _

__“I think this is the part where you take her up to your penthouse,” I suggested._ _

__“Is that what you want?” he asked, lifting her head._ _

__She just smiled and nodded._ _

__“Right then,” he turned to me, his hands lingering on Chloe. “I trust you'll see Miss Lopez home safely?”_ _

__“Of course,” I said. “Go.”_ _

__He was still hesitating. Chloe took his hand and pulled him towards the elevator. “Good night, ladies,” she said with a grin._ _

__And I had a feeling it was about to get very good indeed._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer's song is "The Origin of Love" by Stephen Trask from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch (just in case you didn't know).  
> This song gives me goosebumps, it's so good. And yes, I'd love Luci belting out all the lyrics with the ancient religious imagery.
> 
> Also, I wrote this and then saw a clip where Aimee said if she found out who Lucifer was, she'd probably start by hugging him. So that made me smug. ;)


	7. Take Me Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Linda makes a new friend. And gets a lot closer to an old one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we have reached the "naughty" chapter. If that's not your bag, feel feel to duck out if it gets too much, you won't miss anything too significant plot-wise.  
> If that is your bag, enjoy!  
> Sorry for the delay, my muse got distracted by some shiny Douchifer. She also has no sense of timeline and wanted me to work on some of the later chapters before the earlier one. I think my muse might have ADD. It's all part of the fun. Also, the first time I wrote this is wasn't hot enough and had to be totally scrapped and redone. It's better now.

Maze didn’t trust Uber not to be secretly infiltrated Heaven’s assassins, so she was doing the driving. We took a slight detour to drop Ella off on the way. I made sure she was comfortable in bed, with the necessary provisions (water, bucket, phone) while Maze stood guard in the hallway. I gradually became aware of a second presence in the room. I turned to see the girl Ella had described, minus the glasses, standing in a dark corner. She seemed to be little more than a shadow herself.

“Were you listening?” I asked her softly. Ella was already half asleep.

“Yes. I’ve been keeping an eye on her recently. Because of… you know… circumstances.”

I nodded. Maybe I should have been a little more awed in the company of an angel, but it was becoming a regular occurance in my life now. “It’s good to know she’s got someone looking out for her. Are we all in real danger?”

“Honestly?” she came and flopped down on the bed next to me. Ella stirred and the angel sighed. “I think they’ll probably come after Chloe first. Trixie’s second on the list, you’re third.”

“There’s a list?” That raised a definite lump in my throat.

“It’s being passed around, but I don’t think anyone’s got the nerve to act on it yet.”

“I thought you all followed your Father’s orders without question.”

“We do, but the list was Michael’s idea. Dad hasn’t actually spoken about it yet. We’re all just guessing, as always.”

“That’s something, I suppose.”

“There’s a few of us on your side. Not just because of Lucifer, but the idea of hurting more humans doesn’t sit well with some of us. And Michael knows better than to act without total support. He’s been trying to persuade me to join him. I can’t tell him one of his targets is my best friend.”

“So this is a secret relationship?”

“Humans and angels is just… well, it’s not a thing. We don’t belong here. Lucifer’s actions are causing so much confusion and debate in the Silver City. What he’s doing could literally change the world.”

“And I’ve been helping him. Please tell me I didn’t just bring about Armageddon?” 

She frowned at me in confusion.

“Because of the way I’ve been interfering in his love life,” I clarified.

“No. Nothing that huge. We’re just not used to change. Maybe you guys are just growing up. Maybe we need to adapt to that. But…” her hands hovered over her human friend, not quite touching. “I, for one, am hoping to get to spend a little more time among the living.”

Knowing that the danger was a little less imminent did a lot for my peace of mind. But I couldn’t help but notice the significance of Azrael’s gesture. “You’ve never actually touched her, have you?”

“Not since the first time we met. If I did, she’d know I wasn’t really a ghost.”

“She knows now.”

“Yup. I’m going to get in the neck tomorrow. She doesn’t like it when I lie to her.”

“Nobody likes being lied to, Rae-Rae.”

“Sometimes the truth is just too difficult. Especially in my line of work.”

“How so?”

“Because people who’ve just died want to know that everything’s going to be okay. Even when it isn’t. For themselves, or the people they’ve left behind.”

That was a sobering thought. “If you want to keep being her friend, you’re going to have to learn to be honest with her. Even when it’s difficult.”

“Do you think…” she began, but then shook her head.

“Go on.”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s a dumb question.”

“Sometimes dumb questions can help us understand ourselves better. What was it you were wondering?”

“If she does still want to be my friend, do you think you could help me? Like you helped Lu?”

“Wow!” There was a big question. When I found out about Lucifer, I already knew him well- I’d been working through metaphors but it wasn’t starting from scratch. I didn’t have a clue about this girl… No, not a girl, an ancient being who reaped the souls of the dead, or something like that. But her face was so expressive as she looked at me, full of worry and suffering and love. “Of course I will. Or at least, I’ll try.”

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

The giggle rose up through me gradually. Somehow it was easier to cope with an Angel of Death who did Star Wars references. “Fine. Just don’t start recommending me to all your siblings, I think two of you is all my brain can cope with for now.”

She grinned. It was dark, but I thought I saw her bounce a little.

“I have a favour to ask in return though.”

She barked out a laugh. “I think Lu’s been rubbing off on you. What is it?”

“Tell your brother Amenadiel that if he doesn’t give me a proper answer sometimes soon, I’m going to stop talking to him. For the sake of my own sanity. And weird flashes of sensation don’t count.”

“Weird flashes? Has he been pausing time and groping you?”

“Huh. Is that what it is? Not groping though, just… regular touching.”

“I’ll tell him,” she smirked. I got the feeling she might be less polite about it than I anticipated.

Just then Maze’s steps came towards the bedroom. “Hey Linda, are you gonna stay here all night, or are we going to go get naked?”

“Sorry,” I turned to see her in the doorway. “I was just…” but when I looked back, Azrael had vanished. “Nevermind. Take me home.”

 

The rest of the ride home was a quiet one. There was no reason to talk, and I was quite happy just looking at her, watching light and shadow dance across her face as she drove. There was still so much about her that I didn’t know, didn’t understand. But I wanted to know. Maze might not be interested in a romantic relationship, but this was more than just a random night of fun. She was a good friend to me, and I wanted to be a good friend to her too. And if that meant getting some awesome lesbian sex, all the better.

She hovered behind me while I unlocked the door, smelling my hair. It should have been weird, but it reminded just me that she wasn’t human. Which, apparently, was turning into a kink for me now. I quivered and fumbled, struggling to get the key in the lock, hoping that was not an omen of some kind. But then the door was open, and she was pushing me through, kicking it shut behind her. Her hands were all over me, leaving me gasping. I found myself pinned to the wall; she held me just above my elbows as she kissed me again. There was no holding back this time, it much more like I’d imagined, hungry and possessive and full of tongue. The whole length of her body pressed up against mine, and I wasn’t sure if it was my own heat that I felt or hers. She writhed and worked a leather clad thigh between my legs, pushing and grinding her own crotch against my hip bone. As her hands ran up my arms and down my chest I reached for her ass and pulled her tighter into me. 

She gave a deep throated growl and tore her lips from mine, panting heavily, leaning into my forehead. “I want to make you come. Right here, right now.” Before I could summon the breath to answer, she was pulling up my skirt and rubbing me through my underwear as if it wasn’t even there.

“Oh, yes!” I managed at last, half in consent and half in ecstacy at the touch I’d been longing for. And then I was just calling her name along with a string of obscenities as she stroked me into a frenzy of desire. I could feel the bare skin of her back, my fingers tangling in the crossed strings of her top. My right leg started curling around her, with what seemed to be a will of its own. A hand that had been full of my boob shot down, caught my thigh and would underneath it, supporting it and lifting it higher. I felt more exposed, more open. I buried my face in her neck, begging her for more.

“You want me inside you?” she whispered.

“Yes!” She didn’t wait a second longer, she somehow managed to nudge my underwear aside and slip two fingers straight into me, her thumb moving over and around my clit. I felt my entire body tense with pleasure. She was kissing my neck and I was lost in the bliss of sensation and growing need. I wanted her. It had been at the forefront of my mind since she’d made the suggestion, but it had lurked there for longer than that. Images I’d conjured up in a moment of passion and then dismissed quickly- but not before taking a quick peek. I had been looking at her day and night, feeling the rush of her body close to mine, wondering if she felt it too. And now here she was, moaning with her own pleasure as she fucked me, and it was so good, so _real_ , and I wondered why on earth I had bothered to resist. She moved with a steady rhythm that was driving me closer and closer to the edge, and I clamped my lips together to hold back the screams that threatened to tear from my throat. But it was all too much, and I cried out as she pressed into me, my body hit by wave after wave sweet delight. She kept it going until my supporting leg began to buckle, and as I clung to her shoulders she gave me even more, slowly releasing me, teasing me with one last tremor before she withdrew. But her arms went straight around my waist, lifting me effortlessly, and she carried me to bed.

And then she undressed me and did it all over again.

I lay there, skin tingling, wondering what on earth I’d done to deserve this much pleasure. She wiped her face on my belly and looked up at me, grinning. “More?”

“Come here,” I said, and she did, covering my body with hers. It was soft and heavy, and I knew by the way she moved that she wasn’t anywhere near done yet. I traced the lines of her face, drinking in her perfect beauty. She was wild and strong and free, and I admired her so much. A part of me just wanted to hold her, show her what love could be, but I knew it wasn’t what she wanted. She’d managed without it for so long, why give her a taste only to take it away again? But I knew what I could do. “Take off your clothes.”

“You want me to do a striptease?”

“I just want you naked. How you get there is up to you.”

She knelt up, knees wide over me, and reached behind her back, slowly unlacing the strings. I watched as the fabric loosened, and then she flicked something at the back of her neck and pulled the whole thing away. Her bare chest was too good to be true- eternal youth definitely had its advantages. She popped the button of her pants and slowly pulled down the zip. Then she dismounted, cowboy style, and knelt at my side, facing away. She wiggled her ass at me, tempting, and then, little by little, pulled down her pants. I caught a glimpse of her pussy, tidily trimmed and shaved, when she bent forward. I grunted and sat up, reaching to hurry her along. She fell back laughing as I tugged them towards her feet, and then realised she still had her boots on. I flung them through the doorway in disgust and finally got her naked. I lay down, half on top of her, feeling her smooth, glowing skin with my fingers and toes. I started kissing her shoulders and down to her boobs. She was delicious, and I told her so.

“I know,” she replied cockily, pushing me onto my back again. “But I have even tastier parts, too, you know.”

I hummed greedily. “So scoot your gorgeous ass up here and let me kiss you.”

“How is it you get to tell me what to do?” she asked as crawled up me.

“Because you like taking orders. You like being able to act without having to think.” My hands explored all her curves as I spoke. “And because you trust me not to tell you to do anything you don’t already want to do.”

“You think I’m a submissive puppy dog?” she asked mockingly as I teased my lips across her thighs. The smell of her made my mouth water.

“Not at all,” I replied, walking fingers up between her legs. “You don’t need a new master, you’re your own person now. And I don’t want to be your mistress. But letting someone else make decisions for you can be liberating. And fun for both of us.”

“Ugh! Now who’s doing the torture? Stop talking and suck me!”

I grabbed her ass to pull her towards me, cleaving her with my tongue. She made an inarticulate noise of approval as I started to explore. The taste was one of pure, delicious want. For me. Damn, I was lucky. I licked between soft, hot folds of flesh, relishing the intimacy of the kiss. My eyes turned upwards to watch her over me; she could have been a golden statue, she was so beautiful as she lost herself to passion. Her hands went over her own body and up to her neck as she rolled her head back. I pressed my face my firmly against her and sucked, moving my hand underneath and teasing her just a little more before sliding my fingers inside. I hadn’t been with a woman since before I was married, I'd forgotten how good it felt. Her muscles tightened around me and I pressed back. She started to move her hips a bit too roughly, making it hard to keep hold. I rebuked her with a commanding grunt, and she settled into a smooth pulse that was a lot easier to follow. I rolled my tongue against her clit, curled my fingers, and just watched as she slowly drew closer to her peak. She grabbed my hair and tangled it as her hands opened and closed in time with our movements. Then she just gripped and pulled as her voice rose louder and higher, her legs tightening around my face. I kept going steadily, working with her every breath until she quivered and let out a wail that made my heart clench. I didn’t stop, letting her ride it out as long as she could, which was longer than I expected. At last she quietened, her breathing slow and deep, and she crawled back down to drape her body over mine once more. She kissed me, not at all bothered by the fact that my face was still covered in her juices.

She was looking straight at me, serene and satisfied, but an unspoken question lurked behind her eyes. _Yes,_ I thought, _I want you, I care about you, we could be so good together._ But instead of speaking my heart and scaring her away, I just smiled, stroking the hair away from her face where it had come loose from her ponytail.

Maze didn’t say anything, because she was Maze, and she was much better at putting her feelings into actions. So I decided to take a leaf out of her book, and gave her the lightest, most tender kiss that I could. The feel of her mouth on mine was electricity and fireworks and when her tongue darted out and brushed gently against my lips I thought my chest would explode. 

“It’s getting late…” I said, before she start anything else. Not that I didn’t want to, but it was getting confusing again.

She sighed. “Does my poor mortal plaything need sleep?”

“I’m sorry,” I said with an apologetic look. “To be honest though, you’ve done exceedingly well to keep me up this long.”

“I am awesome, aren’t I?” she grinned, and settled against my chest.

“You are awesome.” I wrapped my arms around her and inhaled her scent. It felt so perfect I wanted to enjoy it all night. Sleep came all too quickly.


	8. I Hate Hangovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the night before. Linda has a lot of work to do with unexpected guests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to posting one chapter a week as I'm getting a bit behind, sorry! But this fic will not be neglected I promise.

Waking up the next morning should have been wonderful. It wasn’t. An intense pain was brewing behind my eyelids, because after all the amazing sex I’d completely forgotten to drink any water before sleep. Maze was back in the freaking doorway, when she should have been keeping me warm. She was wearing a baggy T-shirt and nothing else, her bare feet resting up against the frame. I gazed her blearily, trying to decide whether or not to ask her to come back. And then the guilt and regret hit me like a bulldozer.

Last night was incredible. Her talents rivalled Lucifer’s, even without his ability to read my desires. She seemed to know when to tease and when to go on, and exactly how far to linger and draw it out. They probably heard me half way down the street. And then we’d both collapsed into a breathless heap and I’d fallen asleep with her in my arms. I knew it didn’t make us girlfriends, she’d been clear about that. But I thought, maybe, it meant something more than just a one night stand. It certainly felt very intimate to me. I may have been projecting.

I buried my face in the pillow. Of course I was projecting. I was just a puny human, right? With a taste for immortals. I was just a passing fancy for someone like Maze. She said she didn’t have a soul- could she even love someone if she wanted to? Did I _want_ her to love me? Yesterday morning I would have said no, but now… Oh fuck. And I still wasn’t over that big, burly angel either. I was doing this to myself, and only I could dig myself out of it. I just had to get a grip, be responsible, take control of my feelings. It was just very hard to do when I was so tired and hungover.

I groaned, sat up, and pushed the hair out of my face. She looked up at me, and something fluttered inside. Shit, this was going to be a rough ride. “Morning sleepy head,” she said. “Well, afternoon, technically.”

I glanced at the clock. A little after midday. We’d got back late and then it had been a long time before we’d gone to sleep. I could probably do with more rest, but my head hurt and I doubted I’d be able to switch my brain off again. I held the covers tightly to cover myself. “Hi.”

“Somehow, you don’t look quite ready for round two.”

“There’s a round two?” I was still thinking slowly, trying not to let hope swell.

“Isn’t that what friends with benefits means?”

“Is that what we are now?”

She smiled. “I hope so. Last night was fun.”

Fun. I was an idiot for expecting more. I should put a stop to this right now. And yet… “Maybe later. I need coffee, and a shower. And some aspirin.”

“Ungh,” she moaned, standing up and wandering towards the couch. “I hate hangovers. So boring.”

Guess I was making my own coffee then. I located my glasses and my robe, and went to switch on the machine. My muscles complained with every step, reminding me of all the wonderful ways she’d fucked me senseless. I pulled my phone out last night’s purse to check the battery. Fourteen new messages. Scrolling through them, there were a couple from Chloe, a long one from Ella, and the rest from Lucifer. Because of course a few quiet hours to recover was too much to ask.

Ella first. _DUDE! Last night was totally cray. I have like a bazillion questions. I will totally need to pick your brain as soon as Maze lets you out of bed. If that happens any time soon. Rae-Rae was here when I woke up, we’ve talked some and I swear she used some kind of angel mojo to cure my hangover. Call me!_ Maybe later, when I’m more awake.

Now Chloe. _Are you sure about all that stuff you said last night? He’s still being all weird._  
 _Can you call me when you get a chance, please? I’m worried._

I guess my plan didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped. Okay, what epic mess of Luciferness was I about to let myself into this time?

_I’ve just discovered a problem._   
_This isn’t going to work._   
_I can’t do it._   
_What if it all goes wrong?_   
_I don't know what she wants from me._   
_What should I do?_   
_Can I call you, or are you still busy with Maze?_   
_Stupid question, of course you're still busy._   
_Let me know when you're done._   
_I may need to stop by your place._   
_If there’s no objections._

Oh boy. Another Deckerstar crisis. Because that's exactly what I need. I texted him back. _I'm up, but I'm charging you overtime rates._ He still had to get there. That would give me enough time for a very quick shower; at least I could get the smell of demon sex off me. I groaned a complaint and headed to the bathroom. I'd got as far as jogging pants and a baggy sweater when the doorbell rang, making me wince.

I opened the door and went straight back to the coffee machine. He followed me as I knew he would, but he also surprised me by not immediately blurting out his worries. I filled my mug and stared at him. He glanced at Maze, who was sprawled along the length of the couch. I sighed. “Maze, would you mind making yourself scarce for a while?”

She leaned her head back over the arm and gave me a quizzical look, upside down. “Why are you asking nicely all of a sudden?”

“Maze, bedroom, now!” I snapped, losing patience.

She smiled. “That's better.” Then she grabbed her phone and got up. I watched her back, (well technically her back _side_ ) and a warmth grew low in my belly at her willing obedience. I was doomed. I sighed again, sipped my coffee and waited for the Devil to unload.

“I'm sorry, I'm interrupting,” he said, hands in pockets, hesitant again.

“Actually no. I'm far too hungover to be of any use to her this morning.” I gestured toward the couch, but he paused when we got there and stood close to me instead. 

“May I…?” he asked holding out his arms. I wasn't sure what he was offering but a Lucifer hug seemed like a nice idea, so I nodded. He took my hands and pulled me in. There was a whoomph and I was surrounded by white. I closed my eyes against the brightness. It felt warm and peaceful and ...well, Heavenly. I felt kinda fluffy again. The light faded and when I opened my eyes the wings were gone. My hangover was gone too. Angel mojo. So that really was a thing.

“Thank you!” I said, pleasantly surprised. I felt more like I could deal with the day ahead.

He took a seat at one end, while I curled up at the other. “Purely selfish, I assure you,” he said. “You looked like you wouldn’t be that much use to me either.”

I cleared my throat and ran a hand through my still damp hair. “Anyway… what’s the crisis this time?” My phone buzzed in my pocket. “Hold on.” Chloe. “Hey, sweetie, you okay?”

She was almost growling. “He’s gone again. He didn’t want to sleep with me, again, and now he’s done the famous disappearing act. Honestly, is he going to leave town every time I kiss him?”

“Don’t panic, he’s here. Come join us. Please.”

“Okay, on my way,” she almost gasped in relief. 

I hung up and threw a cushion at Lucifer. He caught it, not that it would have hurt him anyway, but it made me feel better. “You didn’t tell her where you were going? You need to stop doing that! She’s trying to trust you but it’s difficult when you keep running out on her.”

“Duly noted. No more running away. But under the circumstances-”

“No circumstances! You tell her or she wigs out! Do you want to keep hurting her?”

The blank mask he’d been wearing since he arrived fell away, to be replaced by regret and fear. “No! I’m sorry.”

“You can tell her that when she gets here.”

“But-”

“Whatever went wrong last night, you need to work it out together. You want to fill me in while we wait? You both looked happy when you left.”

“Yes, we were. It was perfect.” His eyes unfocussed and he smiled at the memory. But then he turned serious again. “And then we got to the Penthouse and I asked her what she wanted and she just smiled at me.”

“And?”

“And I suddenly remembered that it wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t make her tell me anything. I didn’t know what to do.”

I looked at him, still not quite getting it.

“Because she’s immune to my sexual powers. I’ve built up her expectations now, what if I couldn’t live up to them?”

“You’re worried about your performance in bed?” It was such a truly staggering concept, I didn't know how to react to it. Also, I wasn't sure if I completely believed him.

“There are ways that I do things, as you well know. You tell me what you want, and I do it, and I do it very well. But if I don’t know what she wants…”

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. The urge to slap him passed as it always did. “She wants you, you imbecile! It doesn't matter what you do, you could be totally average in bed and she'd still be happy because she just wants to be close to you.” I was feeding him too much, he wasn't buying it. I needed to help him find his own truth.

“So you're telling me there are humans out there in relationships where they have totally average sex all the time and they're satisfied with that?”

“Yes!”

“Then why are you all divorcing each other?”

“Reasons. Which don't always relate to sex.” Although in my case, the sex was a part of it. Or the lack of effort and understanding of sex. “But that's not you anyway.”

“No, I need to be more than average. I need to live up to all my claims, but I don't know how.”

I thought back. It wasn't hard, I had replayed the scenes in my head often enough when the mood took me. “But you didn't always ask me. Sometimes you just went for it.”

“Well, I was getting to know you by then. I already knew the kind of things you liked. And I knew how to interpret your responses.”

“And on the rare occasions when you tried something that didn't instantly drive me into a frenzy, what did you do?”

“I suppose I just tried something else. Usually something that I already knew would work.”

“There must be things that almost always work, though right? Tried and trusted?”

“Yes, but she’s so unusual I’m not certain. She resisted me for so long, who’s to say she’s not resistant in other ways?”

“Look, you may not know her sexually _yet,_ but you do know her. Like, can you tell when she’s mad at you? Or happy?”

“Yes. Although sometimes it’s not clear why.”

“And you know the full range of female expressions of passion. You’ve seen enough of them. I’m fairly sure you’ll be able to figure out if she’s enjoying herself.”

“I suppose. But this is different. It needs to be… perfect.”

That was it. “This performance anxiety, it’s not just about knowing what she wants is it?”

“It’s not?”

“No. Tell me what you’re really worried about.”

He thought about it for a few moments. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. I don’t know what to expect. I feel… incredibly vulnerable.”

“Just be honest with her. She’ll understand. And if you need to take it slow, that’s okay too.”

“But I don’t want to take it slow. It’s taken far too long already, and I don’t want to miss a moment. Can’t you give me any specific tips? I’ve never done it like this before.”

I considered for a moment, but then dove right in. “Start with missionary.”

“Really? Isn’t that a bit boring?”

I shook my head. “If you’re going for straight up fucking, then yes. But this is making love. You want a position where you can really feel each other’s skin, and kiss as often as you need to. And of course, one where you gaze adoringly into each other’s eyes.”

“Eyes. I’m good with eyes.”

“Yes you are. And start slow. You might be ripping each other’s clothes off in desperation, but once you’re in there, slow it right down. Enjoy the feeling of connection, the intimacy. Let her feel every inch of you.”

He nodded, quickly, waiting for more. The doorbell rang again, and I got up to let Chloe in.

“You can’t stop there! What happens next?”

“Use your instincts. I’m sure you can figure it out.”

“But Doctor-”

I opened the door and he shut up.

“Linda, hi. Lucifer, _you have got to stop doing that!”_

“I know,” he replied, and they walked to each other, stopping about two feet apart. “The good Doctor has already explained that to me. I’m sorry.”

“Really?” she looked like she had been ready for a rant, and his apology took all the wind out of her. He sighed and tilted his head at her as if put upon. “Of course. Didn’t mean to question your honesty, I’m just surprised.” She closed the distance between them and took his hands.

Maze came out of the bedroom, dressed in a black tank top, miniskirt and over the knee boots. “I’m bored of waiting around. I’m going out,” she declared as she headed for the door. “Lucifer can keep an eye on you while I’m gone. I’ve got my phone.” She didn’t wait for an answer, closing the door behind her loudly.

“What did you do to get her so pissed?” Chloe asked. “I thought you two were… you know.”

“It’s… complicated. Obviously. But we can talk about my love life another day. Come, sit.” I took a seat opposite them, trying not feel a pinch of jealousy at the way their fingers stayed intertwined. I needed them to be happy together. “You guys start talking, and I’ll only jump in if needed.”

They looked at each other with eyes that made my heart melt. “Lucifer, what's going on?”

He took a deep breath and, after a quick glance to me, replied honestly. “I panicked. This is all very new and strange. I don't know what to do.”

_“You_ panicked?” Her eyes went wide. “Do you have any idea how scared I was? I still am?”

“You said you weren't scared of me.”

“Not of you! Of messing this up! You're you! I'm just me. Awkward, inexperienced me. I don't want to disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me Detective.” There was that look again. The one that made all of this worthwhile. “I just want to give you the best night of your life.”

She grinned. “It was. Even with all our clothes on, and both of us being all jittery and awkward, spending the night talking with you, curling up to sleep in your arms… it was the best.” She cupped his face, her thumb wiping away a stray tear. “So you see you have nothing to worry about.”

He straightened, all the joy and wonder evaporating from his face. “Yes, apart from the obvious.”

Chloe shook her head. “There’s nothing more we can do about that right now. Until we have something more specific to go on, there’s no point worrying someone’s just going to drop down dead.”

“Not that that’s going to happen,” I interjected carefully. “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

They looked at me. “Where from?” Lucifer asked, curiously.

“Your sister. I ran into her at Ella’s place.”

“Well,” he breathed, “she really is popping up all over the place, getting to know all my friends. What did she have to say?”

“Good news, your Dad’s staying out of it so far. He hasn’t said anything either way. Bad news, apparently Michael has come down on the side of vengeance is trying to recruit more of the angels to side with him.”

“Typical Michel.”

“That sounds bad,” Chloe said. 

“That’s the thing, though, they’re not all rushing to his aid. Azrael told him no, and she says there are others too.”

“No, no, no! This is worse!” Lucifer said, standing up and pacing.

“How? If it means they’re too busy fighting among themselves to target us?”

“My brothers and sisters fighting is not something you want to be around for. It could turn into a war. Which means humanity gets caught in the fallout.”

“Azrael didn’t seem too worried about that happening.”

“Of course not, war doesn’t scare her, nor plague, nor famine, nor any number of gruesome scenarios that she’s seen a few million times already. She may look sweet, but she’s hard as nails, and tougher than old boots.”

“No, I mean, she thinks times are changing, but she specifically said there would be nothing like an apocalypse happening. She… led me to believe that she might be hanging around here a bit more.”

“That’s rather vague. What are you not saying?”

“Things that are personal to Azrael.”

He stopped pacing and stared at me. Again. “She wants _therapy?”_

“None of your business.”

“If it’s true, then at least the world’s not ending. Which means we’ve got the weekend.” He brightened significantly, and held out his hand to Chloe. “Shall we?” 

She rolled her eyes at him. “So we go from couples therapy, to end of the world, to come back to my place?”

“Welcome to the club of knowing,” I echoed her words from the night before. “It’s a roller coaster.”

“Good thing I’ve had practise with Luciferness.” She took his hand, but turned back to me. “Thank you, Linda. For everything.”

“You’re welcome. Now go have the most amazing sex in the history of the world.”

***

I gulped down the last of my coffee and went back to the kitchen for a refill. I was still tired, but I wasn't ready to go back to bed. Seeing the two of them happy together at last made me feel extra bouncy on the one hand, but kinda mopey on the other. Maybe I should settle down with a good book, take my mind off things. I had got myself nice and cosy in the couch with a throw blanket when a soft, deep voice interrupted my reading.

“Linda…”

I froze. Somehow I had enough sense to put down my mug, but then I just sat there gaping. He was back from Heaven, looking stronger and more beautiful than ever. The sleeveless robe did a lot more for his figure than those shapeless hoodies, and he stood taller, more confident. Like he knew he was a higher being.

And here I was, sprawled out in a sweater with half wet hair and no makeup. Shit. 

“I'm sorry…” he said quietly.

The anger rose up within me and I welcomed it. I stood up and faced him. “You're _sorry?_ I have spent the last two weeks going out of my mind in fear of divine retribution; I have been asking you for help, for reassurance but you have been off doing literally God knows what. Does nothing that happened here mean anything to you anymore? Did you just fly off and forget me? Do I really mean that little to you now?”

He seemed to shrink under my tirade, which was good because I was starting to feel like I needed a step ladder.

“You broke up with _me,_ remember?” he replied, his voice still soft as velvet. “I accepted it, but it hasn't been easy. A lot has happened since then.”

“No fucking kidding!” I managed to keep from screaming at him, but it was a close thing. “Don't you think I deserved to know about it? An answer to my questions at least?”

“It's not that simple, Linda. I got my wings back. I shouldn't even be here now.”

“Then why are you?”

“Because I got your message. And… I didn't want you to stop talking to me. I missed you.” His brows drew together, and he looked at me with huge, sad eyes, and my anger melted away. I took a small step towards him, and he took two larger ones towards me. He held out a hand and he gently stroked my cheek, as if afraid that I would pull away. I didn't. I should have, but I waited until he leaned in to kiss me. I let myself inhale his breath before I spun away from him, more confused than ever. I still wanted him. Even after last night. 

“I'm sorry, I can't…”

“I understand. Things are different.”

“I slept with Maze,” I blurted out. A flash of pain crossed his face and I instantly wished I hadn’t. But there was no way I could keep it a secret. 

He nodded once and stood there, all stoic. “I see.”

“It’s not… she’s just a friend… It’s not what we had.”

”What _we_ had was something I've known once in all eternity.” 

Beautiful and sappy. I felt my heart tighten. I seemed to be hurting people no matter what I did. “It was important to me too. But Maze- well she makes it kinda hard to say no.”

He smiled a little. “I remember. Linda, I might not like it, but I want you to be happy. You’ve earned it.”

“So we’re okay?”

“We’re good. I’ll do everything I can to protect all of you. Although…” He sighed. 

Here we go again. I pointed to the couch. “Sit.”

“This isn’t-”

“Sit!”

He sat down at one end, I sat at the other.

“You’ve been through a lot. It might help to talk about it.”

“I do miss our talks.”

“So how’s life back in Heaven?”

“Complicated. Since I got back, I don’t wield quite the unquestioning respect and authority that I used to have.”

“That must make things difficult.” 

“Very.” 

We talked for over an hour, about the conflict, about Charlotte and about how he'd finally understood his own Fall. He skirted around some of the details, for the sake of my humanity, but he shared how he was feeling. It felt good, it reminded me of things used to be. I felt utterly peaceful for the first time in weeks. He seemed lighter, too, by the end of it.

“We should do this more often,” I said at last.

“I only wish we could, but…”

“But what?”

For a moment I thought he wanted to kiss me again, but then he looked away and some kind of shadow descended between us. “Angels don’t belong in the human world. Father wouldn’t approve.”

I swallowed. “So we’re back to that, are we?”

“Not exactly, but I’m doing my best to earn His favour once more.”

Should I tell him I think his Dad’s an utter dick? Probably not. “I see. So is this it?”

He cracked for just a second- though perhaps it was longer from his point if view. There was that same, fleeting sensation, like his hand on my face. It was gone as soon as soon I noticed it. This time I knew what it was, and I felt cheated. Then his face was a mask once more. “Not forever. I will see you again, someday.”

I knew what he meant, but I wasn't ready to think about that yet. “But I can still pray to you?” 

“Certainly. As often as you wish.” 

And then, with a whoosh, he was gone. I was left wondering if he remembered what those last three words meant, and if he had said it that way on purpose. But then again, what did it matter if he had? If he meant it, why couldn’t he just say it? Honestly, he was as bad as his brother. Mixed messages, emotionally distant, unable to see what’s right in front of them because they’re too focussed on the Heavens. 

Although, in Amenadiel’s case right now, I suppose that was justified. There was more going on up there than he was telling me. And I knew that even if there couldn’t be an _us,_ he would still fight for me, for Lucifer, and all our friends.

Still… The thought of not seeing him again? It didn’t seem to crush me as much as last time. Probably because I couldn’t quite believe he’d stay away. Not after we talked like that. Not now that I knew he was still reaching for me between moments. He’d be back. I _needed_ him to be back. Even if I was going to keep sleeping with the only other person he’d been in any kind of relationship with. Fuck, why did I have to keep making my life so complicated?


	9. A Different Kind of Scary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Linda and Maze spend the rest of the weekend together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to a wonderful beta, FluffyGlitterPantsDragon.  
> And yes, I accidently wrote more smut.

I tried to settle back down to my book, but I just couldn’t concentrate. So I changed my clothes and got out my yoga mat. The stretches felt good on tight muscles, and the focus of the movements cleared my head. I was half-way through my third sun salutation and feeling like I was finally getting my feelings back under control, when Maze walked through the door and smacked me soundly on the ass. With just the right amount of sting.

“Nice!” she said with a leer. “Are you getting warmed up for me?”

I couldn’t help but smile as I worked my way back up to standing. “Just working off the rest of last night. You sound happier.”

“I went shopping. You wanna see what I bought?” She waved an unmarked bag at me. From the look on her face I would have bet five thousand dollars that the bag contained some sort of sex toy. “It’s a present for you.”

“That’s… unexpected. Thanks.” I took the bag, sat down cross legged on the mat, and pulled out the box. Double ended dildos had come a long way since I last had the opportunity to use one, though that was a _very_ long time ago. This was not the long, two headed phallus I was used to. The picture showed it was bent into a sharp V, with a fat end and a long end. I opened it up eagerly, trying not to giggle.

Maze was watching me, chewing her lip. “You like it?”

“I think I can make an educated guess at how this works.” I ran my fingers over the smooth silicone. It was vibrant pink. “Where does the strap go?”

Maze knelt down in front of me. “It doesn't,” she said, grinning. “You just pop it right in and you're good to go. But first, you need to choose your favourite setting.” She pressed a button underneath and it began to purr. She took it by the shorter, bulbous end and cycled through the options, pressing the longer shaft between my breasts. Number four pulsed in time with the throbbing between my legs. Damn, how did I get so horny so fast? “That one,” I said, and she moved it lower.

“I think you should definitely test it.” I couldn’t help but agree. I rose to my knees and drew her closer, the pink phallus buzzing away between our pubic bones as we pressed together hungrily. One hand went under her skirt to pull her even more tightly against me, the other I raised to the back of her neck. We stayed there, eyes locked onto each other, breathing the same air until I was aching for her to touch me. She seemed to know exactly the moment that I needed more, whether it was by some give away expression in my face, or my scent, or a demonic intuition beyond my comprehension. She let me go enough to push my pants down over my hips, exploring first with fingers where everything felt so hot and wet and ready. Then she turned the toy around, sliding what I’d originally thought of as the “handle” inside me. My muscles tightened around it, holding it in place, and I looked down to see a neon pink cock rising up from between my legs. Maze looked me over approvingly, licking my juices off her fingers, and then stroking the thing as if it were a real dick. Well, not exactly like. She gripped it firmly, and pushed and pulled in such a way that moved inside me, and it rubbed on the outside, and the damned thing was still humming and all of it felt so deliciously exquisite. Then she bent forward and licked it with a wide tongue. I gasped- not that I could feel it, but I could see, and it was so hot and made me feel incredibly powerful. She wrapped her lips around it and sucked, her eyes still on my face, subservient and defiant all at once.

“I really need to fuck you now,” I gasped. Obediently she turned, presenting herself on all fours in front of me on the mat. I lifted her skirt up to her waist, feeling the skin underneath, feeling her soft flesh and enjoying the last moment of anticipation. 

“Are you going to look at me all day or stick that thing in me?”

I nudged her tiny thong out the way and spread her open. Then I carefully and slowly slid into her. I pushed all the way until our skin was touching- no harness or straps separating us, just the intimacy of shared pleasure. And what a pleasure it was! I clamped down on the vibrations and moved slowly in and out, watching what it did to Maze. Her spine was curling up and down, her hips gyrating for the best angle and maximum effect. I held on and kept pushing, steady and deliberate, and then I was drowning, losing myself in her voice as it rose and fell. After a while I realised she was saying something- was she calling my name? If was coming out half gasped and punctuated with moans. I could see the tension in the muscles of her body, the way she moved, stretching like a cat, pushing back towards me. It was my name on her lips, she was shouting it, screaming it as she came, and I wasn’t far behind. I dug my fingers into her hips as the spasms shook me, and then took a few more passes which made both of us squirm happily before I fell back, panting. I went to remove my new toy and switch it off, but the way it pulled inside me as I moved it away felt too good and I moaned and pushed it back in again. 

Maze was already stripping off her clothes, in a rush as she turned around. Then she was stripping me, my yoga pants vanished and she was unzipping the front of my sports bra and tossing it across the room. She pinned me to the mat and straddled me, sinking down onto my silicone dick and riding me hard and wild until she climaxed again. I was enjoying myself too much to stop, and I just dug in my heels and pushed up into her, finding the angle that rubbed me just right and working it. She watched me hungrily as I unravelled for the second time, writhing and bucking under her weight. When it was over, she leant towards me, turned off the vibrations and laid the entire length of her body against mine, from forehead to toes, completely still.

“I would ask if that was as good for you as it was for me, but I know I totally rocked your world.”

“You totally did,” I agreed. I let my hands explore her body, marvelling again at how smooth her skin was, how flawless. Whatever battle scars she’d earned over the years had healed to nothing. Years? Centuries, I mentally corrected myself. Millennia. Maybe longer, because time moved differently in Hell didn’t it? Who knew how old she was, really, or whether it was even possible to measure in meaningful terms. Suddenly the word eternal took on new meaning. An immortal, unblemished beauty, lying in my arms once more. 

But not completely unblemished. My eyes searched her face, landing on that familiar gap in her brow. I lifted my hand to her face, tracing my fingers over it. It felt like a real scar. “Is there a story here?” I asked her.

“What?” The brow crumpled in query, and she shifted her legs slightly and pushed her hips against mine once more. “You want talking right now?”

“Hhhmmm. I was just admiring you and I wondered. I’m sure you’ve been in plenty of battles, but this is your only scar. Did all the others heal, or are you just that good?”

Her deep, hearty laugh was beautiful. It also moved her body over mine in a very pleasant manner. “Becoming Lucifer’s favourite wasn’t exactly easy. I got several scrapes along the way, but yeah, they healed. This is…” she paused, with a shiver. “Maybe we should go to bed, get under the covers and keep doing this until midnight.”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon. That’s _hours_ away.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a marathon work-out before. You must have, at least with Lucifer if not another human.”

I laughed. “Lucifer has a tendency to walk out on me. He’d reduce me to a quivering mess, I’d ask him an awkward question, and he’d get all uncomfortable about it and go.”

“So why did you keep asking questions?” she propped her head up with an elbow, running fingers over the skin of my neck.

“Because that's my job. And he was an enigma that baffled me.” I nipped at her fingers as they found their way to my mouth. “You’re trying to distract me with more sex, but I know that trick too, and it makes me even more curious.”

Her eyes searched mine before she answered. “It's a remnant of my other face. The scary one.”

I could feel her wanting to shift away. I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist to show her it wasn't necessary. “Is it… do you look like Lucifer?”

She shook her head. “No. It's a different kind of scary.”

“Will you show me?” I asked, not sure how I'd react but much more prepared for this than Lucifer's revelation. Part of the horror then was the shock that it was all true. Hopefully I wouldn't go catatonic this time.

“Maybe.” She was definitely getting shifty, like she was nervous about it. Maze, who could face the untold horrors of hell without flinching, nervous about me seeing her true nature. 

“I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to.” 

“Do you even want to see?”

Did I? “I want to know you. All of you, even the scary parts.”

She kissed me. “I'll think about it. But not now. Right now I have other plans.”

Other plans involved taking me to bed and making me very glad I’d already had my yoga warm-up. I was a little disappointed when she took my new toy out, but her hands more than made up for the loss. Eventually I told her I had to stop for food, and she made me wait, coming back with a stack of poptarts which we ate in bed. Then we relaxed in the bath, making out like teenagers and getting each other clean. Not that clean lasted for long. I noticed that at some point it had gotten dark, and were still naked and all wrapped up in each other. It wasn’t all hard and fast, we became more tender with one another as it went on, sometimes just resting and feeling her skin next to mine; sometimes in a tangle of slowly moving limbs, grinding against each other until we came without urgency or desperation. I started to wonder if she’d been listening earlier, because she kept watching me, looking into my eyes as our bodies rippled and writhed. Eventually I fell asleep with my head on her chest, her arms and legs curled protectively around me. I stirred a little when she got up to go, but she kissed my hair softly and whispered that I was safe, and I drifted off again.

She was back in the doorway when I awoke, ever-vigilant. I missed her a little less this time. But when I sat up and smiled at her, she came back to bed.

After we’d had each other for breakfast, I insisted that my body needed to recuperate for a while, and we spent a fairly lazy morning snuggling on the couch and watching a movie. I had to go out for a few errands, and she didn’t leave my side, though she complained more than once about how there were much more interesting things we could be doing. After the third complaint I called her on it.

“Okay, so do you want to go to the beach? A gallery? Oh, a museum?”

She stared at me for a moment, as if considering. “Museum.”

“Really? Will you be pulling me into a dark corner half way around?”

“If you want. But, I dunno, it could be fun.”

I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. We found a place not too far away that had a wide range of historical exhibits. She was unimpressed by the dinosaurs, but as we wandered into the ancient Egyptian display, her face brightened. She explained the full embalming process in detail, including not only the how but the why. She talked about the people who built the pyramids as if she knew them personally. I caught myself at the thought. No as if. She probably did. Suddenly the museum took on a whole new level of meaning. I wasn't here to learn about history, I was here to learn about Maze. She'd agreed to come so she could see how I'd react as she reminisced about centuries past. 

It was perfect, and amazing. I started asking her questions, finding out more detail than I ever would have from a book. She brought everything to life, in spite of the fact that most of her stories were about death. Especially when we hit the military history section. She hadn't spent huge amounts of time on earth, but people relived their lives and their regrets in front of her, and she understood how the world worked, though she seemed to have a very cynical view of it. She'd seen war and slavery, betrayal and oppression. I realised after a while that all her stories revolved around the worst of everything.

Of course they did. I stopped in my tracks and took a deep breath to hold back the sob of grief. All she'd known was Hell. I mean, I knew that, obviously, and I knew that Hell was… well Hell. But everyone she'd ever met up until she’d followed Lucifer to L.A. had been damned. The worst of humanity. No wonder she had a hard time trusting people. No wonder she expected the worst to happen, because where she came from it always did. _Always._

And here she was, a demon forged in the bowels of Hell to punish the guilty, laughing as she wandered around a museum. With me. I felt my mouth twitch but I wasn't sure if I wanted to smile or cry. I was so proud of her in that moment, for how far she'd come, for the life she'd carved out for herself and the friends she'd made.

She noticed I'd stopped following and turned back to me. “What? You checking out my ass?”

_Abandon all hope, ye who enter here._ Did she even know what it was to have hope? “Just… you're awesome.”

“I know,” she grinned, and went to drool over a collection of medieval swords.

We hung around until closing time, and decided to stay out for dinner. The wine was good, and I think I got a little too invested in our theological debates because we were getting a lot of looks. Not that I was taking anyone’s side, but there were several questions that still bothered me. Like eternal Hell without chance of redemption. Maze, naturally, played Devil’s advocate, with absolute certainty that what she had spent her life doing was right. In many cases, I had to agree with her, but there were areas of grey in my mind. I’d seen so many damaged people, seen the hurt and guilt that they carried, and it just didn’t seem fair. Which of course led to questions about the Ultimate Judge and we both ended up in a very satisfying bitch rant about what an Ultimate Dick He was. At which point we were invited by the restaurant manager to finish up quietly and make our way home. Maze bargained her way to two more bottles of wine for the journey.

I had to pace myself, knowing I had work in the morning, but back at the apartment I indulged in another glass while Maze teased me on the sofa. She knew how to torture, and she consistently gave me just a tiny bit less than I wanted. She undressed me so slowly it was almost painful, except that her lips and tongue gave such sweet attention to every part of my body as she revealed it. I led her to bed where I did the same to her, abandoning myself to the romantic feelings that had been snowballing all day. It was too strong to try and deny it now. The best I could do was to hope that the act of loving her would be enough, without declarations or commitments my mortality wouldn’t let me keep.

A sheen of fresh perspiration from our exertions made her skin glow in the dim lights afterwards, our legs entangled and wet with mutual pleasure. She kissed me, and I kissed back, my heart still racing loudly.

“Do you still want to see?”

“See what?” My entire brain felt hazy.

“My other face.”

After everything I’d seen today, there were no doubts left. “More than ever.”

“You don’t need to be afraid. You know I’d never hurt you.”

“I know.”

She sat up a little, leaning on her arm, and twisted her head backwards with a rasping growl. There, on her brow, was the same scar that had started me wondering. Under it, a white eye like a clouded marble. The strangest part was the way it was neatly divided in half, one side the face that I knew and thought so beautiful, and the other… something out of a zombie movie, perhaps. No, not that. It appeared at first be rotting, but it wasn’t. There were dark, gaping holes and pale tendons showing through, but they reminded me of spun glass, and I saw a kind of beauty in the darkness. So strong, so fierce. My guardian demon, my Maze. I felt my eyes fill with tears, and she turned away, hiding the decay.

I reached up and pulled her face back to mine without even thinking, just wanting her to know it was okay. I kissed her on her beautiful, perfect lips; and then I turned her slightly and kissed where the flesh was stretched thin over her ragged fangs. “Mazikeen,” I whispered against the scars. Or should I call them birthmarks? “Maze, I…”

“Nnno talking,” she spoke, the words sounding harsh and feral. “Jussst be.”

I gazed up at her, steadfast and unafraid. Loving her. 

“Ssllleep now. I guard you.” She went to leave but I grabbed her hand. 

“Stay. Please.”

She nodded. One side of her face smiled a little, and I thought I saw a sparkle in her white eye. I pulled her back down into my arms, knowing there was no need to fear anything again.

But the next day proved me wrong.


	10. People Who Care About Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan's turn for therapy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It always lovely to have a FluffyGlitterPantsDragon who will tell you when you've got it all wrong and make you fix it. Thankyou GlitterDragon!

After that weekend, returning to work on Monday seemed pretty mundane. Maze had become a regular face at a cafe nearby where they had good wifi. Even though I tried to reassure her that Azrael had told me not to worry too much, she refused to let her guard down. The cafe was a compromise.

The morning dragged, but that was okay because I had to see Dan later. I could deal with any awkwardness, but the part I was not looking forward to was going back to pretending that I didn’t _know_. I had no idea what I was going to say, so I decided to just handle it like any other grieving client; give him space to talk and work through his feelings. He turned up, slightly ruffled, looking tired around the eyes. He didn’t seem to know where to put his hands, they kept going from his face to his pockets, to his hips.

“Hi,” I greeted him, “take a seat.”

He sat down and rubbed at his face. “Hi. Um, so how do we do this?”

I sat in my chair. “Well, we’re a little off script because we already know each other. Usually in a first session we’d discuss the situation that brought you here and what you’re hoping to achieve through therapy, and whether this is the right fit for both of us. But I am aware of some the details of your situation and you look like you want to just dive straight in.”

“Yeah, I do. I just… I’m not sure where to start.”

“Understandable. A lot’s happened. But there was a reason that prompted you to call me on Friday, what was it?”

He scoffed. “Lucifer. Being a pain in my ass, as normal.”

“What did he do this time?”

“Oh, just the usual. Teasing me, treating me like I’m idiot, getting me into trouble. Only he seemed to be trying extra hard at it this week.”

“And that made you decide to try out his therapist? You know I can’t discuss anything about him with you,” I advised, cautiously.

“I know, that’s not it. It just made me angry, you know?”

“And that’s a change from what you’ve been feeling lately?”

He nodded. “A big change. I mean, after Charlotte…” he sucked in his lips and I waited. “After Charlotte died, I was raging. I was angry, and it hurt like Hell, but then Pierce was dead, and I still didn’t have answers. None of it made any sense. Everyone was being really sympathetic, and treading on eggshells around me. After the first few days, I was exhausted and I went… numb. It felt like nothing mattered. I couldn’t even face seeing Trixie, and I felt like crap about it because I know she’s upset. So I threw myself into work, and then that started going wrong, and I foolishly asked Lucifer for help. And that day went from bad to worse.” He took a deep breath. “I couldn’t go on like that. I was angry and it made me realise I needed to do something, to try and take back control.”

“Sometimes we have to hit the bottom before we can start coming back up again.”

“Yeah. He just seemed to have too much fun getting me there.”

“Is your relationship with Lucifer the focus of why you’re here?”

“I…” he started, shook his head and tried again. “It’s a part of it. He’s woven himself into my life, into my family’s life; there’s no escaping him and I need to find a way of dealing with it. There’s so much else that I can’t do anything about, and this is one thing, maybe…”

“That actually makes a lot of sense. And it’s a positive reaction, to take control of the things that you can change. Not that you can change Lucifer, but you can change how you react to it, find different ways of coping with the parts that bother you.”

“You mean like the fact that after all the shit that’s been going down, he and Chloe both didn’t turn up for work this morning?”

“I see,” I said flatly. Inside, I was bouncing up and down and throwing streamers in the air, shouting _Finally!_

“Which I guess you know something about and can’t tell me.”

“Sorry. That obvious?”

“Yeah.”

“See, this is why I thought it might be better if I referred you.”

“Yes and no. I can deal with that. But it does tend to confirm some of my suspicions. It doesn’t take a detective to work out that those two… well, there’s stuff been going on for a while.”

“No comment. Except, are you uncomfortable with that?”

“Are you kidding? Part of me wants to smash his face in.”

“And the other part?”

“I get what she sees in him. Sometimes I think I’m starting to like the guy, but then he does something completely off the wall and I have no idea what he’s thinking. It’s erratic, it’s exciting, he makes me crazy.”

I knew Lucifer’s power was strong, and Dan had spent a lot of time with him. “Are you drawn to him?”

“I’m straight.”

“Not what I was asking. Also not a particularly strong argument.”

“I’m… conflicted. Yes, I’m drawn to him, but not in any kind of romantic way. I kind of want to be his friend, I guess, because… because he’s fucking cool. Weird, unpredictable, a total loose cannon but still. And sometimes I think maybe he wants to be my friend too, but then he does something like the other day, and I have no idea.”

“You said you asked him for help, did he turn you down?”

“No, actually he helped, we solved the problem together. With a little help from Maze. He just spent the entire day winding me up about it.”

“Maze?”

“Yeah, some kid stole Lucifer’s car and she tracked her down for us.”

“On Thursday?” When she’d been saying she wasn’t leaving my side for a minute. Suddenly I was having a small trust issue.

“Yeah, is that significant?”

“Sorry, no. It's... nevermind. So you asked for Lucifer’s help, he gave it to you, but he didn’t suddenly stop being an ass.”

“Yeah.”

“And that led you here.”

He thought. “Are you saying he was annoying me on purpose in some attempt to manipulate me into getting help?”

“I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about his motives. But have you considered that he might not be trying to make you feel bad?”

“I think sometimes he doesn’t even realise he’s being insulting. And I think sometimes he just does it because he thinks it’s funny. I guess, maybe that’s just his way of being friendly.”

“That might be a more positive way of approaching it.”

“Yeah. Not that I’ll ever make sense of that guy.”

“He might surprise you sometime.”

“He surprises me. Often. Just not always in a good way.”

“So what happened after you called me?”

“I decided I needed to make it up to Trixie. Which saved Chloe a babysitting fee for your night out, so that was a bonus. She called to ask if it was okay for me to keep Trixie for the weekend, but she didn’t explain why, just that she had a lot of stuff she needed to sort out with Lucifer. And when I explained that to Trixie, she asked what I meant, and I tried to fob her off by saying ‘Grown-up stuff,’ and she gave me this look. Like ‘Yes, dad, I know what that means,’ but she didn’t say anything. My own daughter put it all together before I did.”

“There are circumstances. You can’t blame yourself for not noticing straight away. Things have been very… complicated.”

“I’m worried for Trixie though. All this has been hard on her too. She was the one who got me and Charlotte talking again, she liked her. And she likes Lucifer too, but if he lives up to his track record and disappears, she’s going to be devastated.”

I sighed. I wanted so much to reassure, but I couldn’t do it without breaking confidence.

“Is it just the effect of that on Trixie you’re worried about?”

“Of course not. Chloe and I may not be married anymore, but I still care about her. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“Do you think he’s going to hurt her?”

“After what happened last time? I think it’s a distinct possibility.”

I nodded, trying to think of something I _could_ say. “I can see how much you care about your family. And that you still see Chloe as family even though you’re divorced.”

“I do.”

“Do you think there’s an element of jealousy at play here, somewhere?”

He laughed, self-mockingly. “Yeah, I’ve been jealous of Lucifer since day one. I’m man enough to admit to myself. Just not to anyone else. I guess I just have to trust him. Or at least trust Chloe’s judgement, but after the whole thing with Pierce, that’s hard. What if she’s just rebounding?”

“I guess only time will tell.”

“Yeah. So we sit and wait for the carnage. Sounds like fun.”

“Or, it turns out that they’re happy and they make it work.”

A look of pain flashed across his face, so fast I almost missed it. But he covered with wry humour. “And Lucifer ends up Trixie’s step-dad. That’ll end well.”

“Dan, you’re still her father. He can never replace you, you know that.”

“I know. But he’ll be there all the time, when I’m not. I know, it’s my own fault, I fucked things up with Chloe, and I have to live with that. But with Charlotte gone, I feel empty.”

“Tell me about your weekend.”

“It was hard. We were both hurting, trying to be happy and cheer each other up. We ended up eating a load of junk food and watching movies on the couch. Don’t watch animated kids cartoons when you’re grieving, but the way, those things are real tear jerkers. It was really hard not to start bawling like a baby.”

“Maybe a good cry was what you needed.”

“Not in front of my daughter.”

“Why not?”

He gave me a look as if he thought the answer was obvious. “Because, I need to be strong for her. I need her to know that life’s going to be okay.”

“But it isn’t. Life sucks. Shit happens all the time. We have to learn how to deal with it. We don’t get strong by bottling up our feelings, we have to let them out, with people we trust, people who care about us. We get strong by going through the bad stuff and out the other side.”

He didn’t bother to wipe his eyes this time. “I feel like I’m running short on people who care about me right now.”

“This is the other reason I don’t treat friends,” I said, but I got up anyway and sat beside him and put my arms around his shoulders. “Come on, let it go.” He turned into me and sobbed, and it was good and it was healthy. I muttered motherly encouragements, and held him until it passed. “There are plenty of people who care about you, Dan. Trixie and Chloe are at the top of the list.” I flinched inwardly at my choice of words, they echoed Azrael’s too closely. But it did remind me that Maze had included Dan in the people Lucifer cared about. “Me too. Heck, even Lucifer, though he has an odd way of showing it. But like I said, things are complicated right now. Talk to Chloe. Maybe you need to be there for each other.”

He rubbed at his face, and then nodded. “Okay. As soon as I can tear her away from lover boy.”

“I know it hurts right now, but it will get better. I promise.”

“I’ve lost people before, I know what grief feels like, but there’s more to it than that this time. So much else is going on, and I don’t know how to make sense of it all.”

“You have questions.”

“Yeah.”

“Can you put them into words?”

He took his time gathering his thoughts. “Charlotte used to have these nightmares. She talked about being a good person, needing to change her life. She was scared she was going to go to Hell. And I keep wondering… I can’t even say it, it sounds so stupid.”

“Sometimes saying things out loud helps to diffuse their power. I won’t judge you.”

The questions started spilling out of him quickly. “Is she in Hell now? Is that a real thing? Because the topic seems to be coming up a lot more often than it used to. Was she right to be that terrified?” He shook his head. “When I think of her, out there alone, dying, facing that fear with no one to help her...”

 _Shit._ “Nobody told you?”

“Told me what?”

“Dan, she wasn’t alone. Amenadiel was with her, she saved him.”

“What? That doesn’t make sense. Pierce shot her, he framed some guy for it. If Amenadiel was with her, why didn't he call? Why didn’t he get help?” He stood up and started pacing. “Wait, who was supposed to tell me this? Oh, of course, Lucifer. He’s been sitting on this information all this time, watching me suffer, because he hates me. Or maybe he’s just too busy trying to get into Chloe’s pants the minute she breaks up with the guy who turns out to be a mythical criminal mastermind. _God_ my world is so fucked up.”

It was a knee-jerk reaction, I knew, but it was also a step backwards. I almost regretted speaking up, but I had to give him that at least, even it did raise more questions. “Take a breath, sit down.” I waited until he'd settled a little and continued. “What was it we were just saying about a positive approach?”

“Okay, so if he doesn't hate me, he's got some other unfathomable reasons.”

“Right. So…”

“So I need to talk to him. To both of them. And hope that it makes some kind of sense.”

“Exactly.” 

He stared down at his hands. “I don’t know if I can do that yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m afraid of what the answers might be.”

“How so?”

“Something Chloe said, on the phone, in the ambush. And she’s been acting weird ever since. I’m trying really hard not to put all the pieces together into a certain pattern, but none of it makes any sense.” He rubbed at his temples without looking up. “What did you mean when you said that she saved him?”

“If I answer that, it’s going to lead a lot more questions, and I might not be the right person to answer all of them.”

He filled his lungs with air and let it out slowly. “I'm scared, Linda. I feel like the world is changing somehow. I was starting to put my life back together but now it's all unravelling. And I miss her so much.”

“Perhaps you'll see her again one day.”

“What you mean like in Heaven?” he scoffed. “I wish. We'd both more likely to end up in the other place, and then to complete the torture, it would turn out that Lucifer had been telling the truth all along and he'd spend eternity rubbing it in my face.” He looked up at me, but I wasn't laughing. “There's stuff you're not telling me. And I don't mean in a patient confidentiality way. What is it?”

“I'm not sure this is a conversation we should be having.”

“Then why is my cop sense tingling?”

“Talk to Chloe. Please. It will be much better coming from her.”

“I'm here now. Why not tell me?”

“Because it's too huge, Dan. Honestly.”

His hand rubbed at the back of his neck. “And there's another piece falling into the place I don't want it to go. I'm not sure I'm going to like this.”

“Possibly not. Would it help if I was there to facilitate the conversation?”

“You'd do that?”

“Of course. I could even set up the meeting if it made it easier.”

“What would you say?”

“That you needed to talk about certain things and have some questions answered.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah. When?”

“Tomorrow? After work? We could meet here or at home.”

“That soon?”

“I think we need to do it sooner than later.”

“Tomorrow then. I don't care where. Let her choose.”

“Good. I'll talk to Chloe. I can't promise it'll be easy, but I think overall it will help.”

He nodded. “I get the feeling things are about to get super crazy.”

“You're not wrong. But we are here for you, and you don't have to go through any of this alone.”

“That helps. Now I'm going to get back to work and lose myself in paperwork until I can go home and get really drunk.”

“Not that I can officially recommended alcohol, but I think in this case that sounds like a good plan. I'll see you tomorrow.”

He patted my shoulder awkwardly and left.

In the meantime, I had a question or two of my own. I picked up my phone and dialed Maze. 

“Hey sexy,” she answered.

“Hey. I have to ask you something.”

“You already know what I'm wearing, you saw me this morning.”

“Maze, if I wanted phone sex I would not be using this voice.”

“Really? What voice would you be using?”

“The one I perfected when I was making money out of it. Look, I'll show you some other time. Right now I need to know what you were doing on Thursday and why you didn't tell me about it.”

“Thursday? Oh, you mean when I had to go help out the boys?”

“What happened to being my bodyguard? I thought you were worried about leaving me alone.”

“I was. I am. But Lucifer called me, and said he was in trouble and I thought it was curse related so I went. But then it wasn't. It was actually kinda hilarious. This kid had-” she laughed as she started telling the story, but I cut her off.

“You should have told me! What if something had happened?” The fear of God was suddenly coming back.

“It didn't, so chill okay? I promise, I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you.”

“I'm sorry. I'm just scared.”

“Don't be.”

“Look, I have to go, I have a new client in ten minutes.”

“New? How new?” Now she sounded worried.

“Don't panic, they've been on the waiting list for a while.”

“Have you met them?”

“Not yet, no. Look Maze, you're getting paranoid.”

“A minute ago you were the one who was feeling paranoid.”

“But Maze, this is my job, it’s not-”

“I'm coming over.” And she hung up. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. I'd have to deal with her when she got here and just hope that the new client was patient. I sat down at desk and got all the paperwork ready- contracts, confidentiality agreements, billing. There was knock at the door. Probably not Maze then.

I opened it to be greeted by a middle aged man with short cropped hair wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. “Dr. Martin? I'm Oliver Drake. I'm not too early am I?”

“Not at all. Come in, take a seat.” I closed the door behind him and went to my desk to retrieve the paperwork. 

I recognised the click of metal behind me. I turned quickly, but he was already there, a gun pointed straight at my head. I didn’t dare move. I wasn’t even sure Maze could get here in time. I stood there, gasping, waiting for him to hurt me. But he didn’t. In fact, he said something that surprised me. “Where’s the demon?”


	11. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of action and a freaky kind of romance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a bit carried away when I first wrote this, and I thought it was wildly out of character. But I let my dear Dragon read it anyway and she suggested that I wouldn't have to cut quite as much as I thought, maybe just adjust and rearrange and I might get away with it.  
> I hope I do get away with it, and I hope that you understand that it is meant to be romantic in a demonish kind of way, and not a twisted hurting kind of way.
> 
> Trigger warning: there's quite a bit of blood stuff going on here.

I stood frozen, unable even to look away from the barrel in front of my face. I didn’t know what to do. Maze was already on her way, maybe I could buy some time. “What demon?” I gasped.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Doctor,” he said, his voice husky and serious. He wasn’t in some desperate fury, this was calculated. “I’m here for Mazikeen Smith. I know she’s close by. Why don’t you call her for me?”

“What do you want with her?’

“That's none of your concern.” He picked up my phone from the desk and held it out to me, the gun not moving an inch.

He really wasn't in the mood for sharing. In desperation my heart called out to my other source of strength. _Amenadiel!_ It was less than two breaths before Maze burst through the door so fast I barely saw it happen. He turned his head at the sound, dropping the phone and twisting me around so that I was his personal shield. I was shaking, my heart pounding in my ears.

“What do you want with her?” Maze hissed.

“Nothing, now that you’re here,” the man who was clearly _not_ Oliver smirked.

“So put her down and come get me.”

“Not yet. You do what I say and your friend doesn’t get hurt. First you’re going to take out all your weapons and place them nice and gently on the table.” She moved carefully, her demon blades making barely a sound as she put them down.

“Good. Now go over by the window and kneel down, hands behind your head.” Her eyes met mine, and I saw her mouth twitch upward ever so slightly as she did as she was told. She was waiting for her moment.

“Now what?” she asked coyly, playing along. “Are you going to try to hurt me? Or are you just desperate for a decent blowjob?”

“Like I’d let you anywhere near me,” he replied with disgust. He slowly walked to the table, pulling me by a right hold on my upper arm. “Doctor, I need you to pick up one those curved blades for me. I hear they’ll cut through anything.”

I briefly considered trying to use one on him, but he still had the gun pointed at me and if I didn't get it right first time the results could be very bad. Best to leave it to the expert. He let me go and I bent slowly, picked up the familiar object and held it out to him. He passed the gun into his left hand, and took it with his right.

“Isn't it good that we're all getting along so well?” he smiled. It wasn't a smile that I liked. He kept aiming at me as he moved closer to Maze. I noticed how her shoulders tightened, just slightly, but enough to get ready to pounce. He came to stand behind her and put the blade to her throat, its sharp point poised to rip her open. 

“How do I know you're not just going to kill her straight after me?”

“Because I don't care about her. You're the abomination.”

“You know what I am. How?”

“Doesn't make a difference.”

“You'll tell me sooner or later. It might be easier for you to get it out now.”

“You'll be dead before then,” he said, but he sounded a bit less certain.

Maze just licked her lips. “Go on. Try it.”

The blade broke her skin, drawing blood. He had to look away from me to use it, and the arm that was holding the gun shifted a fraction. It was all she needed. Ignoring her wound she went straight for his other hand. He pulled the trigger but the shot went wide as she pushed his arm forward. She span around on one knee and grabbed at his wrist, knocking him off balance so that he was forced to take the knife from her neck. In sudden fear he slashed at her wildly, but she was more focussed on disarming him than dodging and more blood flowed from her shoulder and her cheek. The gun fell to the floor loudly and she kicked it towards me as she rose to her feet. 

She grinned as his face fell and I'd be lying if I said I didn't relish it too. Then it was fists flying, legs kicking and in short order he crashed through my coffee table and spilled onto the floor as it collapsed under him. She crouched over him, glass crunching under her feet, snatched her blade back from him and aimed it at his throat.

“Shall we kill him, Linda?” she asked.

“Not yet,” I replied. Not at all, really, but I didn't need him to know that. “Wasn't there something he was going to tell us?”

“Oh yeah. How do you know what I am?”

“Even if I tell you, won't you kill me anyway?”

“I might.”

“Think about it,” I advised. “You know what she is, where she comes from. She can make you tell her everything. The question is, how much fun do you want her to have?”

He looked up at her face, the way she bit her lip made a guttural noise like she did when she was horny. Hell. She probably was horny, and for a moment I wondered if I should let her play for a bit. _No, because this is a real person, and he may be a bastard, but that’s what the law is for._ I could make it up to her later.

“The Sinnerman told me. I didn’t believe it at first, but after seeing the carnage she left when he tried to keep her captive… I ran. I hid.”

“So you’re one of his men. Why come after her now?” I asked. Maze didn’t seem to object to me taking the lead.

“Please, don’t let her hurt me,” he begged. 

“Keep talking and I’ll see what I can do.”

“I had a dream. I thought I saw an angel. He promised me protection if I did the work of God and disposed of the abomination.”

I seethed a little. “You know, I’ve never liked that word. It’s always used as a tool to incite hatred, and I have spent too many hours trying to undo the damage that kind of hate causes. Did this angel give you a name?”

“No. He just told me not to be afraid, like they do in the stories, and that if I did what he said I’d be protected and rewarded.”

“How did you know to come here?”

“The Sinnerman told us things. I knew you were associated, and so I found a way to get here.”

Which raised another question. “What about the real Oliver Drake?”

“He’s fine. I used half my funds to bribe him to let me take his appointment. The angel was quite specific that no humans were to be harmed, or I wouldn’t get my reward.” _That_ was an interesting tit-bit, and it explained why they’d decided to come after her first. Killing a demon was a much less controversial option, but it showed that Michael and his followers were desperate to start something.

“How did you even know about him?”

“Social media. That guy needs serious help, he’s got his problems plastered all over the internet.”

“Really?” I mocked him for his disparaging comments. “Do you think he might need to see a therapist?”

He looked baffled. Clearly Pierce didn’t hire men for their brains. And neither did Michael. 

“This is boring,” Maze complained. “Can’t I play now?”

“No, Maze, I think we should hand him over to the police, don’t you? Maybe we ought to think about restraining him until they get here.”

“You got any duct tape? Cuffs? Cable ties?”

“No.”

One corner of her mouth pulled upwards and she raised her fist. The man realised before I did, and I heard his soft “Oh, no!” a second before her arm came down and knocked him unconscious.

“I suppose that’s another option,” I noted.

“Well, I have to have a little fun,” she replied. Blood was still trickling down her face, neck and shoulder.

“You're hurt.”

“Yeah. You got any more of those bandages?”

“I thought you didn't need them?”

“Hell forged is different.” Maze dropped to the couch and pressed her hand to her neck, looking at it when it came away red. 

I got the medkit out the drawer and picked my phone up from the floor. “I think it might be time to interrupt the lovebirds.”

“You can try.” 

I dialled Chloe and waited but there was no answer. I tried Lucifer with the same result, and left him a message saying there's been an attack.

“Let’s get you patched up then.” I knelt in front of her, avoiding the motionless form of the demon hunter on the floor, and the shards of glass and splintered wood that surrounded him. I rested one hand on her knee as I took a quick assessment of her injuries. It looked like the first cut was deepest. I got her to press a swab to it while I cleaned and dressed her shoulder. Even though I didn’t like the look of it, I knew there was no way I could take her to the hospital. She‘d never let me for a start, and they’d want to run tests which would raise too many questions. The wound on her face ran across her left cheek. If it scarred, she’d look like Inigo Montoya. “Does it hurt?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she said confidently. “Although if you’re about to offer me some good drugs, I won’t say no.”

“Just standard painkillers. Probably not worth it.” I took out another swab and wiped at her cheek, my hand starting to shake. She took it and stilled the the trembling. 

“It’s okay. This is good news, right? You’re off the celestial menu.”

“I know. For now. But you’re the main course, and I’m not sure if that’s any better.”

“It is. I can take care of myself easy.”

“So long as it’s only humans that they’re sending. If they sent an angel-”

“They’re not going to. Not yet, they’re not that desperate. Besides…”

“What?” 

She looked me straight in the eyes. “We have someone else helping us too. That’s how I got here so fast.”

“He said he shouldn’t even be here. But I prayed, for a second. He really helped?”

“Wait, ‘He said?’ You’ve talked to him?” He grip on my hand grew tighter. I tried not to feel guilty and failed.

“He came by the day before yesterday, while you were out. We just talked. I know, I should have told you straight away, but I’m telling you now. He said he’d do what he could to protect me, but he’s also trying to win over his Dad.”

She let go of me and moved away a little. “Okay. So he’s back to being Daddy’s boy. That explains why he wouldn’t do anything directly. And why he disappeared the moment I got here.”

She seemed so tense, her hand still pressing at her neck. I cupped her good cheek softly and turned her back to me. “It also means you have nothing to worry about. I doubt I’ll be seeing him again any time soon. Maze, I never want to hurt you like that again. What we have is too precious.”

“But you do still care about him.” It wasn’t question. She was right, too, and I felt torn. But then she scoffed. “Hell, I guess even I’m gonna miss that feathered man mountain.” I knew that on the Maze scale, that was a huge declaration of her feelings. 

I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers. “It’s something we have in common then,” I admitted. Her free hand grabbed my waist, and she slid forward, pulling our bodies tightly together, squeezing me between her thighs. I yielded to her strength as she kissed me fiercely, making me forget everything else for a few moments. But then I was brought back to reality by the taste of blood. I broke away, our faces sweeping against each other before I pulled my head back. Her arm still gripped my waist. The wound on her cheek was still dripping down her face, but she smiled as she looked at me.

“Now I’ve properly marked you as my own,” she said. I could feel her blood warm and wet on my cheek. “I like that look on you.”

If anyone else had said something like that, it would have been freaky and obscene and more than a little too possessive. But it was my demon, and her ways were alien and beautiful when seen in the right context. It was a Hellish way of expressing her affection, and perhaps something more. I hoped. Without thinking I ran my fingers over the cut on her cheek, making her shiver, coating them in her lifeforce, and then spread it from my cheek down my neck and onto my chest. I didn’t need to explain. I wanted her to know that I was hers.

She inhaled hungrily. “That is so totally hot.” She lowered her face to my breast, licking up and along the line of red I’d drawn. The swab fell from her neck as she wrapped both arms around me, supporting me as she bent me backwards and sucked at my throat. I let out a small moan, feeling the throbbing ache between my thighs, wanting her all over again. 

“Maze, you’re hurt, we can’t… oh!” She was tugging at my skirt, pushing it upwards. I felt hands on my buttocks, pulling at them, and fingers searching under the edge of my underwear.

“I’m fine.” Her teeth nipped my collarbone.

“We’re not alone,” I added weakly.

She stopped to look at me. “That bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“Doing this in front of the guy who was sent to kill you? Yeah, it does.” I readjusted my underwear and pushed my skirt back down. I took a deep breath and picked up another bandage, ripping the tape and covering the wound on her neck. She huffed but submitted to my ministrations. I had just finished patching up her cheek in time for Lucifer to burst through the doorway. He looked quickly around the room and his face went from wrathful to highly amused.

“Well, looks like I needn't have rushed. Is this the miscreant who attacked you?” he indicated the guy on the floor.

“Yeah,” Maze answered, “specially chosen by your brother Michael.” 

“But if you want motive,” I added, “he also belonged to Cain, so that makes the legal questions less complicated.”

Lucifer kicked the limp form soundly. I looked at him, unimpressed. “I had to get one in before the Detective gets here,” he said, almost whiningly. “She wouldn't approve.”

“And you think I would?” I countered.

He smirked. “Judging by the look- and the smell- of you, it would be hypocritical of you to do so. Maze always was rather randy after a battle.”

Because of course he knew.

“Don't worry, I won't tell. But you might want to think about freshening up a bit before the official police arrives. You've got a little time, she was still naked when I left.”

I knew an invitation when I heard one, and I couldn't resist the bait. “I take it things went better this time?”

He grinned. “Much better. Immeasurably better. Honestly, I'm amazed either of us can still walk. The vulnerability thing certainly adds an element of challenge.”

Maze laughed at that. “Don't tell me she put a dent in your stamina.”

“Only a small dent. Just enough to make me appreciate her languid embrace.”

Now it was my turn to chuckle. “You mean you had lots of post sex snuggles and you loved it,” I teased.

His eyes narrowed. “Client confidentiality,” he said warningly. “Now go wash the blood of your face, I'll watch over Sleepy here till you get back. Take as much time as you need, your demon still looks hungry.”

I turned back to Maze. She still had that look. Maybe a quick fumble in a bathroom stall wasn’t such a bad idea. She was obviously thinking the same thing because she pulled me out the room very quickly.

 

The little that remained of the day was spent down at the station, giving statements and answering questions, going over everything at least three times in between endless amounts of waiting. They’d let us sit in the conference room, so at least it was quiet, though we could see a lot of bustle through the windows. The fact that one of Pierce’s men had been missed had caused a slight panic. “Did I damn myself and end up in hell without noticing?” I asked Maze while I sipped at the terrible coffee.

“No, sweetheart, although this place is starting to remind me of home.”

I considered for a moment, but I needed to ask. “Maybe you should be taking Lucifer up on his offer. You might be safer if you went home.”

She shook her head and took my hand tightly. “Not yet. They could still try to use you to get to me. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a while.”

“Good,” I sighed and leaned onto her shoulder. “I kind of like having you around.”

Eventually, we were sent home, and I stumbled into bed. Maze said she’d let me sleep, although she laid down beside me and spooned. I woke up in the night, shaking, heart pounding from a vivid dream of the day’s events. She was still there, holding me. “Shhh, Linda, I’m here. And I’ll disembowel anyone who tries to hurt you.”

“I love you.” The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rush of feeling before I could stop them. When she loosened her grip, I thought she was going to draw away, but she reached to switch on the bedside light and then turned me to face her. 

“Look at me. You’re mine. Under my protection.” It wasn’t exactly the response I wanted, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised how much it meant. She couldn’t give voice to her feelings. I didn’t know if she could feel love without a soul or if she would recognise it if she did. It took Lucifer long enough and he at least had love in his past. And then I wondered if anyone had ever said those words to her before. No one in Hell, surely. Possibly one of the people she’d seduced, but only in a moment of passion. None of them knew who she really was. Amenadiel might have felt something, but he would never have admitted it. This was her way of saying how much she cared. That she’d risk her life for me- she had done so already, more than once.

There were spots of blood seeping through the bandage at her neck. I wondered if I could show her in a language she’d understand. I peeled back the tape, exposing the wound. It wasn’t there for protection anyway; no earthly contaminants or diseases could harm her, just as her blood contained nothing that would harm me. I pressed my lips to the cut and then lathed it with my tongue. The taste was metallic, as blood always is, but hers had another flavour in it too, a kind of fiery sweetness unlike anything else. She whimpered with a deep, visceral longing. It was still half open, the supernatural weapon marked her in a way that was harder to heal. I touched it with my fingers once more, watching them grow dark with her blood. I painted myself again, across each cheek, over my collarbones and between my bare breasts. Her breath quickened. “Linda, what are you doing?” she whispered, clearly aroused but also confused.

“Showing you that I’m yours,” I said steadily. 

She have a nervous smile. “Can I…?” Her hand hovered over the bandage taped to her cheek, and I nodded. She took the one off her arm too. It had started to scab over, but she ran a fingernail over it and it oozed bright red. I kicked back the covers and sat up. Maze rubbed her shoulder, smearing it, but hesitated before she touched me.

“Go on,” I encouraged her softly. “Mark me.”

She pressed her hand to my breast, anointing it, and then traced a line down each of my thighs. It wasn’t some kind of blood bath, there was just enough to leave the marks and it dried quickly. She sat up and touched one finger to the cut on her cheek. “I want to put my name on you.”

I smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Not… not in English.”

“You want to write some demonic script on me? Will it have any kind of magic effect?”

She smirked. “You’ve been watching too much TV. No. But it might… linger in a way that other celestials can see.”

So Lucifer would know. And so would any other angels who happened my way. But I had no reason to be ashamed. “Okay then.”

The symbols she painted on my shoulder were simple and rune like, but they formed a distinct shape when they were altogether. I looked down at them, and then up at her, and it felt almost ritualistic. “I guess this makes us more than just friends, now.”

Her head moved up and down, just once. “Just don’t ask me to put a label on it,” she said.

“I won’t.” I put my hand behind her head and kissed her.

She leant her cheek against mine and whispered. “I want to ask you something. And I won’t mind if you say no. It might seem weird to you.” She licked her lips as she sat back and retrieved one of her blades from beside the bed. I knew what she was thinking, and I held out my hand. She looked at it, curiously. “I…” she started, but failed to put together a full sentence.

“It’s okay. I trust you. You shed blood for me today. Why shouldn’t I do the same for you?”

“Because it’s not the same thing at all.”

“I want to show you how much I care about you. Wait, that sounds wrong, like you’re asking me to hurt myself for you. I know that’s not it. You want me to mark you. You want it to be significant. It goes down to basic, primal instincts, which are still a big part of you. I have them too, but they’re buried somewhere deep. People have made blood oaths throughout history. This is-”

She put a finger to my lips, metal and sweet fire. “Stop. Stop rationalising or you’re going to ruin it.”

“Sorry.”

She took my hand and pointed the knife at my fingertip. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” It was barely a pinprick, the blade was so sharp. I watched as a tiny, bright red pearl began to grow. She squeezed my finger gently and then bowed her head towards me. I went to touch her, then paused. “Do you want to do it like this? I mean, do you want to put on your scary face?”

“You’d be okay with that?”

“Of course.” She twisted into her other form. Her cheek was still broken, dark red spilling out between the sinew. I painted a line straight down the middle of her face where the two halves joined, between her brows, over her nose, and lingering on her lips. She licked the blood off my finger with a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a purr. It made me shiver, but not with fear. She pulled me back down to the bed and kissed me. I kissed her back. It felt strange, but not bad. Her teeth were sharper on one side. The rest of her body was still flawless, and I explored it, leaving tiny spots of red here and there from my finger. It wasn’t a big enough cut to make much a mess, but it was enough to mark her as mine. She made more of her own marks on me too. No more runes, just smudges of passion. Our bodies pressed together, needing to consummate our new commitment. We both reached down at the same time, cupping and soothing the delicious ache. There was no rush this time; she was almost tentative in the way she touched me, like she’d never done it before.

_Fuck. Of course._ After the whole conversation with Lucifer, how could I have almost missed it? 

I leaned into her, pushing her onto her back, taking the lead. I kissed her on both sides of her face, and around her neck until my lips were crimson. Leaning my cheek into her wounded and ravaged one, I whispered, “Will you let me make love to you now? Will you let me mark you inside as well as out?”

She rasped out a murmur of assent, nodding quickly, and sought my mouth for more kisses. I poured my soul into her with that kiss- hope, love acceptance, trust. Then I pushed my fingers into her, the cut stinging a little from her wet desire, but in a very good way. I teased her slowly, letting her enjoy every moment of it. She was searching my face and I returned her gaze, dark and light as it was, and I couldn’t help but smile. She wound her legs around my body, pulling me tighter, and I remembered what I’d said about skin. I lowered myself onto one elbow and she sighed as our bodies touched. She seemed extra responsive, more raw, and perhaps she was. I didn’t know which face was a mask, or if both were real, but it didn’t matter. She was mine, my demon, my lover.

Slowly, I moved in and out, pressing and releasing, with wide circles over her nerves with my thumb. Her body rippled and squirmed, different groups of muscles tensing and relaxing in succession. I watched every expression on her face, the tightening of tendons and the furrows around her brow. Her mouth opening as her breath quickened and I responded by building the pressure, adding a third finger, testing, and then a fourth when she growled her approval. Because of course I couldn’t hurt her. The stretch around my knuckles was almost as good as the look of ecstasy on her face. I moved faster, marvelling at her pleasure, relishing it, feeling her urgency as she snapped and snarled. She gripped me roughly as she neared her climax, one hand tangled in the back of my hair, the other curled around my shoulder. I felt everything tighten so much that for a moment I thought she might break my hand, but then she began to spasm and made a noise that was completely inhuman. I pushed as deep as I could, stroking her through it as she bucked and arched. Eventually the waves subsided, but I didn’t let go straight away. I held her, and kissed her, and told her she was mine, touching her softly to elicit tingling aftershocks before I carefully withdrew.

Her breath was heavy, and she didn’t speak, just wrapped her arms around me tightly. It was enough for me. Now I knew exactly how a demon could love, and it was more beautiful and powerful than I had imagined.


	12. All the Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan gets some answers.  
> Maze has some groveling to do.

The next day I had to relocate all my clients while I got someone in to clean up the mess in my office. It was a tough day, but brightened by the fact that Maze brought me lunch. I managed to get through work, though I was a little distracted. I found myself doodling arcane symbols in the margins of my notepad and counting the hours until I could go home.

She picked me up and we stopped off for some fast food on the way to Chloe’s house to meet Dan. Chloe opened the door and her eyes flicked from one to the other of us. “Maze? I wasn't expecting you, um…” she glanced behind her where Trixie was sitting at the counter, doing some homework. She stopped writing and chewed her pencil, but didn’t look up.

“Don’t worry, I can go wait in the car.”

“No!” Trixie shouted, jumping up and running over. She glared at Maze. “You were mean.”

My demon dropped down onto one knee and looked up at her friend. Anyone else might think it was just how you talk to a child, but I knew Maze. She didn’t bend the knee lightly. “I know. I’m sorry. I was very upset and said things I didn’t mean. I wish I could take it all back.” She sighed. “You are the very first real friend I ever had, and you will always be important to me.”

The young girl nodded thoughtfully, a gesture that made her look remarkably like her mother. She seemed to decide the apology was satisfactory. “I’ve been practising the moves you taught me, wanna come see?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be doing homework?”She turned to her mom with a questioning look. Chloe caved all too easily. “Okay, you can finish it tomorrow.”

Maze grinned and followed her to her room. 

“Soooo…” I asked Chloe as she poured me some coffee. “How was it?”

She smiled and did that same thoughtful nod. “It was very nice,” she said, reserved as always. “I still feel like I’m slightly losing my mind, and it’s going to be all kinds of complicated, but… totally worth it.”

“Oh sweetie, I’m right there with you.” She looked at me quizzically. “Me and Maze. Complicated doesn’t begin to cover it.”

“Really?” A slightly raised eyebrow indicated her amusement. “That must be…”

“Everything that you would expect, and then some. But also…” I finished the thought with just a sigh.

“Maybe we should should start our own support group. _Relationships from Hell._ ”

I laughed loudly. _“Dating the denizens of the underworld: dealing with paranoia, an inability to understand their own emotions, and an insatiable… appetite.”_

“I suppose there are some perks,” she admitted with a tiny smile.

Another knock at the door and we both swallowed our mirth for Dan’s arrival. Chloe opened the door and passed him a beer without even asking. “Hi,” he had that awkward look about him again. Or maybe still. “Where’s Trixie?”

“In her room, making up with Maze.”

“Is she moving back in?” he asked, trying not to sound too concerned.

Chloe looked to me for an answer. “She hasn’t actually said anything about that so far. But she’s currently kinda… attached to me, so maybe not quite yet.”

He took a swig of his beer. “Okay.” 

“Shall we?” I gestured towards the living room, there was no need to drag out the pleasantries. They each took a seat on the couch, and I took an armchair to one side. I was meant to be facilitating, not leading here, after all. But they both sat there silently, looking at me, and I realised they might need a bit of a shove to get them started. “Dan, you have questions.”

“Yeah. Lots of questions. _All_ the questions.”

“Maybe pick an easy one to start with,” I suggested.

“Wow. Um. I guess the safest one is actually, are you and Lucifer, like, dating?”

She shifted in her seat. “Yes. And it’s serious.”

“I thought he didn’t do serious.”

“Believe me, I am well aware. I don’t know if I can explain it, except to say that this is different. We’ve gotten to know and trust each other. I can’t imagine my life without him.”

Dan swallowed, staring at his beer bottle as he asked the next question. “Do you love him?”

“Yes. And he says he loves me.”

“I know I’m living up to the douche name for asking this, but weren’t you saying the same thing about Pierce not that long ago?”

“I know how it looks. Pierce was…” she shuddered. “Pierce was a manipulative bastard. He swept in when Lucifer and I were fighting, and he offered me a life that was happy and simple. I thought I cared about him, but I was just caught up in the idea of that life. I broke up with him because I realised he just wasn’t…” She looked at her former husband, the man she had once shared her entire life with. “Dan, I’m sorry, it’s really hard to say this stuff to you. It sounds awful and I don’t want to hurt you.”

He looked up and met her gaze. “Just say it, Chlo. I need to hear it.”

“I realised it was Lucifer that I wanted more than anything. He was the one who had the power to make me happy or crazy. He was the one I sought out when I needed help. And yeah, he has… issues. More issues than he lets show. But I have to give this a try.”

“He’s _the one,_ huh?”

“He is.”

“Even if…” he stopped. 

“If what?”

Dan looked exceedingly uncomfortable. “Even if he hurts you again?” he said, though I suspected it wasn’t what he was thinking.

“He might, but not intentionally. He would never hurt me on purpose. He just had a different perspective on things. And I understand that now.”

Dan took a deep breath. “Why now? What's different?”

“Things that he's said. His honesty. Things about his past that make a lot more sense in a particular context.”

He shook his head at her. “At least show me the respect of cutting the bullshit Chloe.”

“Is that what you want? The absolute truth no matter how ridiculous, how terrifying it might be?”

“Honestly? No. Probably not. I get the feeling that right now, ignorance is bliss. Things just keep happening and it all makes the kind of sense that's just not. I can feel the answers sneaking up on me, and I don't know if I'm ready to go there yet.”

She took his hand. “I wasn't either. Frankly, the whole thing has my brain in knots. But… it's okay. It gets easier. I hope.”

Dan looked towards me with expression of hopeless desperation. “It does. I've been-” 

He held up a hand to silence me. “Don’t. Just don’t. Not yet.” The hand went to his face, rubbing all the way down and behind his neck. “Tell me what happened when Charlotte died.”

I spoke softly, slowly, so that he could stop me if it got too much. “She and Amenadiel were investigating your boss.”

“I knew she was. He was helping her?”

“Yes. But Pierce decided he wanted Amenadiel dead. He was going to frame Lucifer for it, to get him out the way.” Chloe looked at me like this was news to her too. To be fair, there would have been a lot of other questions she would have needed answered first. “He wasn’t sure he could take him in a fair fight, so he decided to shoot him instead. Only Charlotte was there, and she put herself in the line of fire.”

“That…” he sighed. “It helps. It gives her death meaning. But why didn’t he call us straight away? Why run away and leave her there to be found… like that?” Chloe reached towards him as his eyes grew wet, but he just pushed her arm away. “Why not stay?”

“If I tell you that, then all those answers you’re trying to avoid will find you.”

“Please, Linda, I have to know.”

“He didn’t stay with her body, because he was looking after her soul.”

He looked from me to Chloe, his lip trembling. “I don’t understand.”

“Amenadiel is an angel. He took her to Heaven.”

“No. No, that can’t be right. He’s Lucifer’s broth-” he froze as his brain caught up with what he was saying. He sat there blinking, and I could almost see the pieces falling together behind his eyes; scenes replaying that had never quite made sense but that he’d always dismissed. He turned back to Chloe hesitantly. “What you said about avoiding the truth, did you mean what I think you mean? Were you talking about Lucifer?”

“Yes. I was.”

“You think this is all real? Heaven, Hell, angels and demons? Come on, Chlo, I thought you were too intelligent than to buy into his crap.”

She took a calming breath and swallowed her instant reaction. Good girl. “I kept denying it as long as I could. But it reached the point where the evidence was overwhelming, and,” she shrugged. “Occam’s razor.”

“What could possibly happen that the simplest solution is that… I can’t even say it.”

“You saw the crime scene, Dan. You’ve seen Ella’s wild theories as to how it all went down, but there’s only one explanation that makes sense on its own.” 

“Which is?”

“I shot Pierce, his guy shot me back. I passed out. They unloaded on us, but we didn’t get scratched. There were feathers everywhere. I woke up on a rooftop, with the man who keeps saying he’s a fallen angel. Then he vanished. And I knew.” She paused, but she could still read the doubt in his face and so could I. “And then I saw something else, that confirmed it, but I’m not going to discuss that without his permission.” 

“You really believe it, don’t you?”

“I saw it, with my own eyes.”

“I want to trust you, I do, it’s just…”

“It’s hard to take it all in, I know. It requires a lot of mental adjustment.”

“And in spite of all this, you’re now _dating?”_

“In spite of this, because of it.” She shook her head. “Actually the dating thing kinda started before I found out. But then it got put on hold with the whole revelation and everything else we've had to deal with. But now I know he’s never lied to me, not once.”

He looked at her, disbelief mixed with pity. “And that's why you’ve both been acting so weird lately.” He glared at Trixie’s door. “What about Maze?” 

“Turns out my housemate’s a demon. It explains a lot.”

He stood up quickly and ran to his daughter's room, sliding the door open quickly. Maze was sitting on the bed with a plastic thermometer in her mouth. “What?” she grumbled. “Don't laugh, I'm doing penance.” Trixie was busy applying a glitter tattoo to her uninjured arm. The other sported an oversized bandage. 

“Penance. Good one.” He started to chuckle.

“I said don't laugh!” she warned.

It didn't help. He started laughing hysterically.

“Daddy, are you okay?”

“There's a demon playing literal doctor with my daughter,” he gasped. “I'm just damn peachy.” 

“You're lucky we don't have the swear jar anymore,” Trixie said seriously. It just made him laugh harder. He crumpled into a heap on the floor.

I got up and went to him, giving a weird head gesture that I hoped Maze would understand to mean shut the door. Surprisingly, it worked. I helped him up and led him by the hand back to the sofa. “Dan, breathe okay?”

He took several deep breaths, giggled a bit more and then tried again with more success. “My ex-wife is dating the actual Devil,” he said. It wasn’t a question this time, it was as if he were trying the words out loud to see how strange they sounded.

“Yes. But in her defense, the Devil turns out to be Lucifer Morningstar.”

“And he doesn’t have horns or a tail.” He sighed. “On the plus side, at least we know now that he’s not crazy.”

“You seem to be coping with this remarkably well,” I said suspiciously.

“I’m sure I’ll fall apart properly later. I mean, fuck. This is real.” We waited quietly for what came next. “Why us? Shit, that sounds so egocentric. But he could go anywhere, do anything.”

Chloe answered that one. “I think because he likes us. And he likes making sure the bad guys get caught. And possibly Hot Tub High School had something to do with it too.”

“Well, he’s got good taste,” Dan admitted. “So wait, what actually happened at the ambush?”

“When they opened fire, he used his wings to protect us.”

“And the bullets just bounced off?”

“No. No, they did not.” She began to fidget with the ends of her sleeves. 

“Maze and I pulled a ton of lead out of him. It was pretty gross.”

Dan paled a little. “So, if he hadn’t…”

Her face was still low, but her eyes turned up. “I would be swiss cheese right now.”

“Then I guess I’m glad that your boyfriend’s the Devil.” He didn’t push her away when she went to hug him this time. “Not everyone gets their own real life guardian angel.”

She laughed softly and let go. “Yeah. Just don’t let him hear you say that, he might just explode.”

“As tempting as it is to use that knowledge for revenge purposes, he gets a pass on account of saving your life. Again.”

It all seemed just a little too easy to me. “Dan, are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“We’re cops, Linda. What we do is dangerous, and if someone takes a bullet for you, that’s like the ultimate sign that you can trust them. Lucif-” he choked slightly on the name, and tried to cover it by clearing his throat. “If Lucifer took that amount of fire for Chloe, I don’t care who he is, or how much he annoys me.” He squeezed her hand and she smiled. “But if you don’t mind, I’m going to just pretend I don’t know all this this for a while longer. Not that you can’t tell him I know, just that my brain is not ready to cope, and I think it will help to act as if nothing’s changed so I can manage… you know, life stuff.”

“It’s a kind of compartmentalising,” I said. “I don’t think any of us can judge you badly for that. And you know if you need anything, we are here.”

“Would it be alright,” he began, with a crease in his brow. “Can I stay here for a while? Just to have a few more beers, maybe watch some brainless TV? I don’t think I want to go home to an empty apartment right now.”

“I think that sounds like a very good plan,” Chloe said.

“Where is he anyway?” he glanced towards the door, as if half expecting him to walk through it.

“LUX,” Chloe said. “I told him I needed a night off.”

“Good. I mean... just good.”

“It’s okay, I get it,” she smiled.

“Well, it seems like you’re in safe hands. I better go rescue my demon before she gets mummified.” I stood up to go, and the other two rose with me.

“Thank you,” Dan said. “For all of this.”

“Don’t worry, it’s going on the Devil’s account.” I said it jest, but then I realised I probably could and he wouldn’t complain. He probably wouldn’t even notice. 

I knocked on Trixie’s door, and she opened it with a cheeky grin. She beckoned me close with a finger and I leaned towards her. “I think Maze has a crush on you,” she whispered.

I feigned surprise. “Really, what gives you that idea?” I replied, all hushed.

“She keeps talking about you. A lot. Almost as much as she talks about fighting.”

I felt ridiculously fuzzy about it, and I grinned. “Maybe I should ask her to be my girlfriend.”

She nodded enthusiastically, with a tiny squeak. 

I went and sat next to Maze on the bed, unravelling the extra bandages. “What was all that girly giggling about?” she asked.

“Someone thinks we’d make a good couple.”

“We are what we are. No labels.”

“So how are going to explain it to your friend?”

“How about this?” She placed a hand behind my head and kissed me on the lips, softly, chastely, but with a lingering tenderness. I felt my heart grow three sizes bigger in the space of a breath. Trixie squealed again and Dan, still on edge, ran to the door.

“What’s wrong?” he asked urgently.

“Maze and Linda are going to be girlfriends!” the girl announced in delight.

“Seriously?” he looked at us incredulously. “As if I don’t already have enough to melt my brain?”

“Sorry,” I said, knowing that seeing more romance was not what he needed right now.

“Not sorry,” Maze amended.

“Just go take your sickeningly happy faces somewhere else and leave me to my brooding.”

“Fine by me,” Maze said, pushing past him. “See you later, kid.”

“Come back soon, Maze!”

I stopped beside him and said quietly, “You will always be a part of this family, Dan. No one can take that from you, not even Lucifer.”

“I’m starting to feel it, now. And I think that’s all I really need.”

“That’s progress. I’m glad.”

“Now get out of here, I promise I’ll call if I need more help.”

With a farewell to Chloe we were on our way. Maze took my hand as we walked back to the car. “By the way, Trixie’s the only one who’s allowed to call us that.”

“Because she’s a kid?”

“No, because she’s my best friend.”

“If she’s your best friend, what does that make me?”

Her fingers wandered over my shoulder, where she’d marked her name. “Mine.”

Which was a completely acceptable answer.


	13. I'm Not Here to Smite You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Linda gets a most unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is a very short chapter, but kinda pivotal. You might get a bonus chapter on Sunday if I'm feeling generous.

On Friday, a man I didn’t know walked into my office between appointments and offered his hand. “Doctor Linda, so lovely to see you again.” His hair was fairly long, and if it hadn’t been neatly combed away from his face, it would have flopped around those prominent cheekbones. He wore a dark red shirt under a pinstripe suit, and in spite of the fact that he seemed significantly shorter, he somehow had an air about him that reminded me of Lucifer. Maybe it was the cockiness, or just the British accent.

I took his hand cautiously. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

“Westridge Canyon?” I stared blankly. “The psychiatric hospital. Of course I was wearing a slightly different face then, much more beardy.” His hand waved around his lower face. “And not fully me, obviously, otherwise poor Earl might have exploded, but enough of my essence so that he knew and I remembered. You helped my son and I escape during a riot, which he started, by the way, but he’s like that I suppose, and actually, you know, it was rather a lot of fun.”

He spoke more quickly as he went on, and it took my brain a second to pick out the relevant bits of information. Once it had put the pieces together it went on strike for a few moments. Because… _“God?”_

“Oh don't look so worried I'm not here to smite you.”

“Are you sure? Because I thought that was kinda on the table.”

“My firstborn talked me out of it. I think he might have a bit of a thing for you.” He flopped down on the couch, his arms extended across the back of it, and crossed his legs. 

“Huh.” I managed somehow to find my chair and get into it without falling prostrate.

“No, the reason I'm here is because I need some advice.”

“From me?” 

“Some of children seem fairly impressed by you. And you probably know Lucifer better than anyone these days.”

“Possibly.” Good. I could manage words of more than one syllable now. I mean, it’s not like I hadn’t faced a deity before. Although the last time didn’t end so well.

“I'm not sure what to do about Lucifer,” He went on, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “Some of his brothers are ready to take up arms because of the whole Cain thing, which let’s be honest, I wasn't expecting to last this long. He should have died ages ago.” 

“Like… _literal_ ages?”

“Yes. The mark was only supposed to last until he learned how to care about someone other than himself. I hadn't counted on him being such a total bell-end. Once it was gone, he could have lived happily ever after and died of natural causes, rendering the curse void. It was only intended as a deterrent you see. But Cain turned out to be more of a selfish sack of loins than I thought, dear old Samael got a bee in his bonnet and now Michael's determined that I honour my word even if it starts another war in the heavenlies.”

“Are you saying you messed up?” My brain was picking up speed again, and I leaned forward, incredulous.

“Of course I messed up, no one had ever killed anyone before. I was totally baffled by the whole experience and completely out of my depth.” 

“I thought you were supposed to be infallible?”

“I think that's just wishful thinking on you mortals’ part. If I were infallible, I wouldn't have made such a right royal fuck up as I did with Lucifer.”

“Are referring to casting your son into Hell? Because that's a pretty big fuck up.” _Shit, I just swore at God. But he started it._

“Um…”

The anger that I’d kept bottled up for the sake of his son suddenly boiled over. “He was hurt, and broken, and alone for aeons! You abandoned him! To torment people. Lucifer, who you made to understand desire, who lives to see other people happy, in a place of torture and pain. Outcast, alone, unable to trust anyone. Not to mention the physical pain he endured. I can't even begin to imagine how strong he must be to have survived that and still come out the man he is now. Generous and honest and full of life, but still afraid to care about anyone, even now, for fear that they’ll turn against him like You did, or worse- that You’ll rip them away the moment he gets too close. Don't you think he's suffered enough?”

“When you put it like that. I suppose. But what do I do about Michael? And about breaking my promise to Cain?” God _-God-_ was looking at me earnestly, as if _I_ was the one with the answers.

“Cain was a dick! He didn’t just go after Lucifer, he tried to assassinate your firstborn! Doesn't that kind of obliterate any claim he had from you?” 

“He what? Why has no one mentioned this?”

“You're supposed to be omniscient. You didn't know?”

“Just because I _can_ see everything all the time doesn't mean I'm constantly paying attention. The world's a busy place these days.” He suddenly took an interest in a Divine fingernail. If it was possible for the Creator of all the Universe to look shifty, this was the moment. 

I pressed my advantage, feeling weird having to explain the situation to Him. “Cain tried to shoot Amenadiel, but Charlotte Richards got in the way. She saved him, and then she died.”

“Yes, he brought her home, he said she'd saved him but not how it had happened or who had done the deed. It was wonderful to see her again, even if she wasn’t _Her_ anymore.” The smile that played at the corners of His mouth seemed utterly genuine. But then His face hardened. “If Cain killed the woman who was a Divine vessel for My Wife then… No. No more vengeance. Lucifer shall not be punished any more. In fact I think he might even have earned a reward. What do you think he might like?” 

I was astounded at the question, but then, they hadn’t been talking for an incomprehensible amount of time. But if He wanted to know, why not tell the truth? “Right now? For you to leave him to get on with life. To spend time with Chloe. Maybe, in time, to know that you're sorry and perhaps you still care about him. And let him back into Heaven so when's she's gone he doesn't have to lose her forever.”

He smirked. “Michael will flip his lid. I like it. It shall be as you say.” He straightened and tugged at his sleeves. And then His deep brown eyes fixed on mine and I froze, lost in awe. “Is there any way I can repay you for your counsel? Anything that you desire?”

 _Oh that's where Lucifer gets it from!_ “Um…” A flurry of impulses whirled through me, thoughts and feelings fighting for dominance, completely out of my control. He seemed to be sifting through them as He looked straight into my soul, discarding the lesser whims until he stumbled upon a true yearning that I thought I had buried.

He smiled. “I see. Well as I say, I think it's completely mutual. He'd be happy to have you back. Though the demon might complicate things. I'm sure you can work something out. Fare well. I'll see you in the next life.” And with that, he sat up straight, tugged at his sleeves, and vanished in front of my eyes.

_What the Hell just happened?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all get my casting choices here right? Because I had to. It was the only thing that made sense in my brain.


	14. A Little More Complex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It... gets complicated.

I worked through my appointments that afternoon in a haze. God had been in my office. Asking for advice. From me. A few hours later, my brain had finally managed to chew through that little nugget of experience, and the important information began to filter through. He was lifting the curse. None of us were targets anymore. I picked up my phone to call Lucifer and tell him the good news, but then paused. What exactly was I supposed to say? _“Hey Lucifer, your Dad just dropped by”_ probably wouldn’t go down too well.

I was still considering when Maze turned up to collect me. I stared at her blankly. Her wounds had faded to thin red lines over the last few days. She was safe. I was safe. Which also meant that she could go home, if she wanted to.

She smiled lecherously, snaked her arms around my waist and kissed me. It took my breath away. I couldn’t lose her, not yet, I’d only just found her. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, looking around for any threat.

I pulled her face back to mine. “It doesn’t matter now. I’ll tell you after.”

“After what?”

I kissed her, hungrily, urgently, knowing that it might be the end. She didn’t have any idea about the reasons, but she seemed to sense my need and welcomed it. She lifted me up effortlessly and sat me on the edge of the desk, pushing up my skirt, hands seeking. I encouraged her, parting my legs and reaching into her pants. We made quick, desperate love right there, panting into each other’s necks until the release washed over us both together. She passed me a few kleenex and then took some for herself and wiped her hand. “That was hot. You wanna tell me what it was about?”

I wanted to put it off, but it wasn’t right. “I had a visitor today.”

Her forehead creased with concern. “Don’t tell me lover boy got you all hot and bothered and that this was some kind of substitute.”

“No. No, it wasn’t Amenadiel. But it was someone Celestial.” I took her hand, trying to swallow the dry lump in my throat. “It’s good news. The curse of Cain has been nullified. Lucifer’s not going to be in trouble. Nobody’s going to get hurt.”

She seemed more confused than before. “But that’s good, right? So why did you just fuck me like the world’s about to end?”

“We’re all safe. You don’t need to stay to protect me anymore. You can go home.” I couldn’t stop my voice from cracking on the last word.

She brushed her fingers over my shoulder, the one where she’d written her name in blood. “Linda, I’m not… I’m not ready to go back. Not now.”

I wanted that to be enough, but it wasn’t. “Then when? A few months from now? A year? Ten years? You said yourself, you don’t belong here, and sooner or later I’m not going to be enough anymore.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. As much as I wanted her to stay, I would never hold her against her will. She needed to be free.

She leaned her forehead into mine. “I don’t… I can’t…”

I kissed her, both sides of her face. It helped me remember what was underneath. She’d shared more with me than she had with anyone else, and that was precious indeed. I could hold onto that even if I couldn't hold onto her. “You told me not to put a label on it. I knew you couldn’t promise me anything. It’s okay.”

She nodded. “Let’s go home.”

It was quiet journey. My feelings were too confused to put into words, and Maze wasn’t much one for talking at the best of times. And this was pretty far from that. I walked into the apartment but she waited, a silhouette in the doorway.

“Linda, the last few days have been so new and different. And I wanted it to go on forever. But I don’t know if I can. I’m not made for this. I need some time to work it out.”

“I understand.” And I did. And maybe I was asking too much after all. “Just let me know what you decide, okay?”

She nodded, but said nothing. It was like she’d spent the entire drive thinking up that little speech, and it had used up all of her words. I couldn’t leave it like that. I ran back to her, threw my arms around her neck, kissed her fiercely, and said it once more, “I love you.” Her lips pressed to my cheek once, and then she sniffed and pulled away, going straight back to her car. I managed to close the door behind her before I collapsed into a puddle of tears.

Some time later, but I’m not sure how much, I recovered enough to pick myself up off the floor and open a bottle of wine. I knew I’d brought this on myself, I knew this day would come right from the start, I just hadn’t expected it to be so soon. Maybe sooner was better. If it had been longer, I would just have had gotten more attached, had more to grieve over.

Who was I kidding? I was still in that first flush of love, with hormones raging and exhaustion from lack of sleep and I was an emotional mess, but I knew that time made no difference. I was in love, and she was going to back to Hell, and it hurt like… I chuckled to myself. That was what she was made for, right? To hurt people. That’s what she did best. Stupid, _stupid_ human. Why couldn’t I learn? Why did I keep hoping, keep trying to feel when it always ended in disaster?

And then a little voice inside me whispered deviously, _but this might not be the end, right? She’s not gone gone, she just needs time to think._ I hated that voice so much in that moment. I wanted to strangle it- that was the kind of thinking that got me into this trouble in the first place. I filled the entire apartment with loud music just to drown out thought, worked my way through half the bottle of red, and then decided that what I needed was a shower. I crumbled into a sobbing mess again as the water poured over me, but it passed more quickly this time, and I wrapped myself in a towel and went to get more wine.

He was waiting for me in the living room, all muscles and glowing skin and perplexed expression. I felt the empty glass fall from my grip, and instantly Amenadiel was there to catch it, offering it back. 

“Oh, _fuck!”_

“Linda? Are you all right?” His eyes focussed on my shoulder, and I knew what he was looking at. She told me it would linger, but I never expected him to be there to see it. Thankfully he didn't comment. 

“Fuck no,” I replied.

When I didn’t take the glass, he moved away again. “Perhaps it might be best if I filled this up for you.”

“Yes. Definitely.”

“Father… sent me to see you,” he explained as he poured.

I took the drink and gulped down a few mouthfuls before answering. “I see. Do you know why?”

“I didn't ask. I thought you might need help.”

I was starting to sense that Lucifer's constant complaints about his Father's manipulations were not quite so paranoid after all.

Still… “I do. Amenadiel…” I felt like an idiot but he was so familiar, so comforting, and I fell sobbing onto his chest. Strong arms wrapped around me without question and this time, the crying seemed to help some. “It's over, and we're safe, and Maze might not stay.” 

His arms tightened around me and his mighty chest heaved a sigh. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't lie,” I sneered. “You're not sorry at all.”

“I'm not sorry you're safe. But it pains me to see you hurting like this.”

I looked up at him, my beautiful angel, the one I had given up. He still cared for me. I had the word of God on that. Maybe we could still be friends. I was about to say something along those lines when the door burst open again. 

Maze. She stopped in her tracks when she saw us, and I realised how it must look. I moved away from him slowly and started walking towards her. 

Maze screamed and launched herself at Amenadiel, a fist pulled back and hurtling towards his face. Amenadiel just stood there calmly, blocking the strike like it was nothing. It didn't stop her though. “She's mine! You can't have her anymore!”

I felt the joy erupting in my chest. She was back. Worst timing ever, judging by the way she was going for Amenadiel, but the possessiveness of her attack was pretty high up in the demon romance scale. Her fists were flying fast, and he kept blocking and dodging, almost like a kind of dance, but never attempting to strike back. She darted in and out, a leg kicking up here and there, until he caught her arm as she swung at him and pulled it awkwardly behind her back. Her face twisted in pain, and she growled.

“Are you done yet?” he said, holding her right up close.

“She’s _mine!”_

“Yes, Mazikeen, I saw your mark. Real classy!”

“Hey!” I barked back at him. “You do not get to come here and mock us like that. Just because you got your wings back doesn’t mean you have to turn into a smug, condescending bastard again.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “You knew what she was doing? And you let her?”

“Yes!” His pompous, self-righteous attitude was infuriating. I thought he’d grown out of it. “Maze and I care about each other. A lot.”

“You told me you were sleeping together, not…” Amenadiel had the most expressive brows I had ever seen, and right now they were baffled, slightly repulsed, and astonished.

“It started out that way. But then it became more.”

He released her from his grip and she backed up a step or two. The hurt in his eyes, the loss, broke my heart all over again. When he started to say, “I should go,” I was already going back to his side, reaching for him.

“No. Not yet. Your Father sent you. You’re supposed to be here.”

“Why? What do you know?”

“He came to see me today. I gave Him some advice. He wanted to reward me.”

“What?” Maze stared at me in disbelief. “The Divine Dick was the Celestial who told you it was over?”

“He did a thing, like Lucifer.” I looked from one to the other, remembering how He’d searched me, and the truth of what He’d found. I felt like my heart was being ripped in two.

“And then He sent me?” Amenadiel seemed to grow again, the pain in his face replaced by hope. 

Maze snarled, her face changed and she threw herself at him again. He held out one hand and shoved it at her chest. She flew three feet backwards and twisted in midair, landing on one knee. “You can’t take her away from me, not yet!” 

“That’s not for you to decide!” he snapped.

They looked at me. Maze was panting, but Amenadiel just looked pissed off. His face softened as he breathed.

I suddenly realised what they were waiting for. _”What?_ You want me to choose between the two of you?”

“Isn’t that how these things go?” Amenadiel asked. “I mean, we could go medieval and fight to the death for your hand, but I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t approve. And I’m not even certain I’d win. I don’t think she’d stop no matter how much I hurt her.”

“I don’t want anybody hurt!” I cried, stepping between them and holding up a hand. It still had a wine glass in it, but the other was keeping the towel in place and now was not the time for a comedy naked moment. “You need to stop this.”

“I won’t let him take you!” Maze growled, still in fighting stance though her left arm was cradled against her belly.

I approached her, slowly and carefully, like she was a wild animal. “Maze, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.” Her dark eye still flicked to him warily. “Look at me,” I stood in front of her and reached for her face. “I’m yours remember?”

She gave the barest of nods, but her posture eased, and her face returned to normal. “I know. Is it always this confusing?”

“What, love? Not always, no. But our situation is a little more complex than most.” Her breathing was still ragged. “You’re hurt.”

“Yeah. Bastard dislocated my elbow.” She glared at him.

He sighed. “Don’t complain. You won, didn’t you?”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I did?”

“No!” I reached for Amenadiel before he could go anywhere. “Nobody won. I mean… I love Maze, but that doesn’t stop me caring about you. I don’t even know if I can choose. Not now at least.”

Maze slowly lowered herself to the edge of the couch, perching as she slowly moved her sore arm. She grimaced and gave a grunt. “Shit, it’s not going back easily.”

“Would you like me to try?” Amenadiel asked warily. She eyed him as if trying to decide whether she could trust him, but then her head went up and down once. He knelt in front of her and tenderly took her arm, one hand at the wrist and the other above her elbow. Their eyes met and he began to straighten it slowly, his fingers pressing into her skin as he gripped the bones underneath. He gave a small tug and I swear I heard something crunch. Maze was breathing deeply, and he was searching her face as he straightened it a little more. Her mouth twitched and he stopped, and tugged again. She made a small noise, a hungry kind of whimper. I saw his shoulders fall as he exhaled slowly. “One more, I think,” he said, as he searched with his thumb, and she bit her lip. The final pull was more forceful, and she groaned. Not a painful groan. The kind of groan that went straight between my legs and sent shivers through my insides. Amenadiel dropped his gaze and cleared his throat, gently checking over her elbow and carefully moving it back and forth, testing it. Her fingers lingered on her skin like he didn’t want to let go. “I think you’re good now,” he said finally, and let her fall from his grip. She was still staring at him, and he was avoiding her gaze. I couldn’t take my eyes off either of them.

“Oh,” I breathed. Seeing them together, I understood at last. Why she was so mad. Why he stepped aside for her so easily. They still cared about each other, deeply, but like Lucifer they had no reference points, no way to make sense of all the wild emotion. They hadn’t grown up with fairy tales or romantic movies; they’d never had other real relationships to learn from. And their bodies kept sending them messages they didn’t know how to interpret. Suddenly the answer was right in front of me. No one had to get hurt. I didn’t have to choose at all.


	15. A Win-Win Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As someone put it in the comments at the end of the last chapter:  
> EPIC CELESTIAL THREESOME TIME!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of where this whole thing has been going.  
> The first draft got almost completely thrown out, because it just didn't do them justice.  
> Thanks to a wonderful FluffyGlitterPantsDragon for helping me through that particular crisis.  
> I hope this version leaves everybody satisfied. ;)

It wasn’t going to be easy. If I thought trying to navigate Lucifer through his feelings for Chloe was a roller coaster, it was going to be nothing compared to this. I had to help these two figure out their feelings for me _and_ each other. An angel and a demon. At least Amenadiel was becoming much more self-aware these days. But he was back to being an _angel,_ and how was that going to fit in with life on Earth? But he couldn’t argue that it wasn’t allowed anymore, his Dad had been pretty clear that he was mine if I wanted. 

And I wanted. 

I took a breath to speak and realised that I had no idea how to put this into words. Maze kept complaining I talked about things too much anyway. I sat down carefully beside her and rested my hand in her thigh. I took Amenadiel’s hand too, just to make sure he didn't run away when I kissed her right in front of him. She was hot and hungry after the fight, her tongue darting into my open mouth. It was hard to break away but I couldn't let him sit there wondering for too long. My hand stayed on her leg as I pulled him closer and pressed my lips to his. He responded much more gently but with an intensity that left us both breathless. My heart was pounding, my skin burning. 

“I don't understand,” he whispered. 

I looked from him to Maze. A smile spread slowly across her face. “I think I do,” she said. She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at me. I nodded. She grabbed the front of his robe in her fist and pulled him close enough to lick his face. “If it was anyone else I don't think I'd share her. But the idea of corrupting you all over again is highly tempting. What do you say, big boy?”

“What's happening?”

“Our greedy little doctor has decided that one immortal being is not enough for her. She wants two.”

“You mean, both of us?”

“I guess you could call it a win-win situation.”

If I thought Amenadiel looked perplexed before, it was nothing compared to this. “Father…”

“Sent you here, to me, knowing exactly how we both feel, and having seen her name written on me in blood. He doesn't object.”

His fingers traced the wet line on his cheek, and he eyed her warily. “Can I trust you, this time?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “But you can trust her.”

“Why?” he asked me, incredulous.

“Why can you trust me?”

“Why do you want this?”

“Because if I choose, someone is going to be hurt, and I can’t do that to either of you. I care about both of you, too much. More than that, I believe you care about each other. Something happened between the two of you, and I don’t think either of you have fully let go of it yet.”

They looked at each other, considering. “She saved my life, at great cost to herself.”

She sniffed loudly. “Yeah, well, I thought about letting you die, but, y’know.”

“I never imagined a demon could make a sacrifice like that. She changed me. It was… unexpected.” He shook his head. “But so much had happened since then, I don't know if I can. She broke us apart, twice, and then Cain…”

“Hey,” she barked, “we all made bad decisions. Car bombs? Lies?”

“Now is not the time to start recounting past sins,” I intervened. “I don't suppose you heard what Cain did to her, and why?”

“Let's save that conversation for another time shall we?” she suggested. “Like maybe a week from never.”

“You're worried it will make you appear weak, but I don't see it that way, and neither will he.” She was still hesitating. “If this is going to happen, we have to learn to be a little vulnerable with each other. That's how we get close, become intimate.”

She rubbed her elbow. “I told Cain I wouldn't help him kill you. He threatened Linda, drugged me and chained me up. I escaped though.”

“You went against him? For me?”

“Yes, you ridiculous, optimistic idiot, for you! She’s right, this thing between us, it’s not over. It was never over.”

“That’s why you were so jealous.”

“Duh! Of all the people she could have fallen for, it happens to be the only one I’ve ever-” she pressed her lips together and cut herself off, gesturing her frustration with clawed hands. “Are we done yet?” she asked me.

“Almost.” I put my arm around her shoulders for comfort. “Amenadiel? Do you see?”

“I think I do. And not that long ago, I wouldn’t have considered it possible, but it turns out I was wrong about a lot of things. It turns out redemption really is possible for all of us.”

“And do you think that there might be room in your heart for her too?”

He looked exceedingly uncomfortable, his mouth opening and closing as if he kept changing his mind about his answer. 

“Just tell the truth,” I said.

“Yes. You never forget your first, isn’t that what they say? When I fell, I blamed her, I blamed Lucifer, but it was all just me. I know that now. But I think that the changes she inspired in me helped me become better.”

“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes. “Really? Next you’ll be telling me I make the world a better place, or I’m some kind of hero that’s going to save the planet.”

“I’m trying to tell you that I care about you, Mazikeen.”

She scoffed. “So if we all want each other, and there are no objections, can we go get naked now?”

“One more question, first,” he said. “Linda? Are you okay with this? It doesn’t mean I care you any less.”

“I know. My idea, remember? If a human can love two people at once, surely an angel can too. Besides, I think I might actually enjoy seeing the two of you making each other happy.”

“I guess we could always try,” he admitted. “So how does this work? Do we take turns?”

Maze laughed openly and I smirked. “Not exactly.” I held his face and kissed him again, warmth blooming in my chest and also further down. He leaned into me, pushing me back. Through half-lidded eyes I could see Maze moving behind him, running her hands over his bare arms and nibbling just below his ear.

A deep moan rumbled through his throat, and Maze gasped. Clearly, the sound affected her the same way it shot through me. “Wow,” I breathed softly, as the possibilities began to unfold in front of me. I stood up, leaving the towel where it fell on the floor. Maze and I each took one of his hands and led him towards the bedroom. I stood in front of him and unfastened the front of his robe while she removed his gauntlets. He’d always been strong, but now he was just radiating power. 

“It’s not just about taking turns to screw each other,” I explained, slipping the sleeveless coat from his body while Maze began to strip off her own clothes. “It’s all three of us, sharing something at the same time. We all get a chance to give and receive pleasure.”

He still looked baffled, but in a good way. “So I get to make love with both of you at the same time? ...Somehow?”

“Don't worry, we'll guide you through it.”

Maze was already down to her underwear. “Remember sex isn't just about cocks in holes,” she said. “Didn’t I teach you anything?”

“Mazikeen, you taught me _everything.”_

“Oh, no, sweet cheeks,” she grinned. “Not by a long shot. You have _so_ much more to learn. I’m really looking forward to the lessons.” She pulled his undershirt off over his head and shoved him down onto the bed. We each took one of his boots and in short order all that was left his skirt. It was made of some Heavenly, light material that clung to all his lines and contours, revealing everything, including his state of arousal. My heart clenched at the memory of the feel of him inside me, the weight of his body over mine. I climbed over him, kissing all over his chest and reaching down to stroke him through the fabric. He was still pulsing, growing firmer at my touch. His length and girth were familiar but still impressive. Fuck, everything about him was impressive.

I heard Maze behind me, groaning approval as she pushed his skirt up over his knees, her hands reaching under it to explore. I moved to one side, yearning to watch her. Amenadiel was caressing me, burying his face in my neck, when he paused and inhaled deeply. The lower half of her face was hidden by grey, but her eyes were twinking. I yanked the skirt higher so I see more clearly, and was rewarded with the image of her tongue swirling over the bulging head of his cock before she took it in her mouth. Amenadiel lifted his face, still leaning into me, but his eyes focussed on her hollowed cheeks and bobbing head. He shivered as she wrapped him in her fist, opening her mouth to let moisture run down, and then sucking and pumping together. His breath soon became shallow, and he grabbed at my breast, squeezing and kissing it. He stopped abruptly with a groan, throwing his head back onto the sheets and panting. Maze’s look was wicked as she worked him quickly until he curled upwards with a grimace and a grunt and then fell back.

“Maze,” I said carefully, “did you just… um…”

She grinned and wiped the corners of her mouth. “Yep. Plenty more where that came from though.”

“I see.” I tried to hide my disappointment, but she must have seen through it. She looked puzzled for a minute and then realised. 

“Ohhhhh!” she came and sat the other side of Amenadiel, tracing a finger through the valleys of his chest. “Oh, poor baby, don’t tell me you lost _all_ your abilities when you Fell?”

He cleared his throat. “Because of course you would find something with which to torment me already.” He turned to me. “Linda, I’m afraid she’s right, I was indeed affected by mortality when we were together before. But I am no longer bound by such limitations.” He grasped my wrist and guided my hand downwards. His cock was still just as large, just as hard as it been before. 

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out, and I couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling up inside me. “So you don’t… stop?”

“Not until you want me to,” he replied, smugly.

_“Holy fuck!”_

“Exactly!”

“Maze, you know what this means?”

“Yes. I’m well aware. So who gets to ride him first?”

“You make him sound like he’s just a new sex toy.”

“Ladies, I am not complaining. But I believe there was an alternative to taking turns. Perhaps that could be your first lesson.”

“I dunno. I don’t wanna make your wings fall off again. Not if that means I have to live with a limp dick.” She was teasing, but I could see that even as it irked him, he liked it. Like it was some kind of game they were playing.

“It was me that made that happen, my guilt, my failure. Those feelings no longer have power over me.”

“Good, ‘cos I think the wings are kinda sexy.”

“Really? Can I see?” I bit my lip in anticipation.

“I don’t see why not. If Father’s already given us His approval.”

“Here’s a tip,” Maze interjected, “don’t talk about your Dad in bed. That’s _not_ sexy. Just for that, I’m going to make you wait for it. No unfurling until I say.”

“How come you get to make the rules?” he asked.

“Because she’s Maze,” I answered. “Besides, I trust her to pick exactly the right moment. Right now I need you both to finish getting naked, it's starting to feel unfair.”

“Now _you’re_ being bossy.”

“You’re about to start sleeping with two women who have very strong ideas about what they want, you might have to get used to it.”

“It’s probably for the best. Because I’m rather out of my depth, here.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” I ran my hands around his waist, trying to figure out how to get him out the last of his clothes. I found the fastenings and pulled them open, and he lifted his hips as I tugged it down. “Hhmmmmm. You are so gorgeous.” Maze was sitting up beside him, her bra falling off her shoulders. “And so are you,” I told her.

“We are all gorgeous,” she said. “But we are still doing waayyyyy too much talking. Get on your back woman.”

I wiggled up to get myself comfortable on one side of the bed.

“Out the way, Angel-face, I need her in the middle.” He complied, moving across to give me room, and started kissing all over my skin. Maze took the other side, removing my glasses and placing them carefully on the nightstand, and did the same. It filled me will all kinds of heat, and sent my pulse racing.

“See the way her chest blushes?” she asked him. “That means she likes it.”

“I know. And the tiny line between her eyebrows.”

“Will you two stop competing over me and just start screwing?”

“Sorry. Old habits,” he said.

“Yeah. You do realise this is our idea of foreplay?”

“Of course it is. Okay, go ahead with the verbal fencing, just don’t stop doing what you’re doing.”

Maze kept goading him, making jokes about his lack of experience, to which he made disparaging remarks about the wide extent of hers. They kept touching me while they argued, kissing me between jibes. She questioned whether he was able to satisfy me, if he’d used all the tricks she’d taught him. He assured her he’d got the job done, and countered by saying how meaningful it was, how intimate. “Oh we do intimate,” she replied. “We do intimate so hot she sees stars. Would you like me to show you how to do that too?”

He stared at her, intense and hungry, and she met his gaze, doing nothing to disguise her desire for him. “Yes,” he rumbled. 

His hand shot up into her hair and pulled her in for a deep, hungry kiss. I didn’t have room for jealousy; there were too many other feelings swirling around inside me. Love. Awe. Passion. Passion seemed to be winning right now. Their faces were so close to mine, I barely had to move and my lips were brushing their cheeks. Maze turned her head slightly to make room for me, opening her mouth so that all three of our tongues met and danced around each other. Amenadiel slipped an arm under my back and with the other pulled Maze’s body tight against mine.

We were all writhing together, everything blurring between the physical need and the emotional one. That much love was overwhelming. I never imagined I’d be back in his arms, and sharing it with Maze was all the more precious. “I love you,” I told her, and then looked up at him. “I love you too.”

He looked at me and smiled so happily. “I love you too. I never stopped.”

“Ugh. Shut up.” Maze sounded grumpy, but she was smiling almost as much. She turned his face back to hers and kissed him. It was less hungry this time, more tender. His smile broadened. He understood. 

“You, my dear, are truly unique in all the universe.”

“Hmm. See? Meaningful. Intimate.” She pushed him back a little, just enough so that she could crawl on top of me, kneeling between my thighs. Leaning on one elbow, she reached down to find me wet and ready. She parted me, teasing all around but not yet entering. “Now get behind me and put that beautiful dick to good use.”

He knelt as instructed, his large hands spread over her back, stroking down to her hips. She was angled down so that I could see him over her shoulder, watch as he guided himself into her. That was when she pushed into me, going deep to fill me as he filled her. Maze rolled her head back and moaned, and his eyes fluttered shut. My hands found her breasts, her throat, her back, anywhere I could reach. And then Amenadiel’s fingers found mine and twined together over her hip. He began to move with steady, firm thrusts that made her exhale quickly. He looked more gorgeous than ever, all gleaming muscles and dark, glowing skin. Her hand moved and curled inside me with the same rhythm, joining us all together as one. It felt so good, so right. The two people dearest to me in all the world, though neither of them were human. I decided in that moment that I had to make it work.

Amenadiel bent forward to bite and suck her neck, and she pushed deeper into me in response. When he moved away, there was a small, rosy bruise. He could bruise her. No wonder she liked him. My thought didn't get much further than that, because the things she was doing with her fingers and her thumb over my clit made me lose track of everything except the sight of the two of them locked together. Her whole body rocked forward every time his hips smacked against her ass. His body was rippling, muscles flexing under his skin. Maze’s hair bounced around her face, and I knew that expression. She was letting herself get lost in pleasure too.

After and unknown stretch of time, she was gasping loudly, her eyes half closed and her brows drawn together. He was pounding into her, faster and faster. She lowered her face and nipped hungrily at my lips. “Linda! Touch me.” I reached down to find her clit and my fingers brushed against Amenadiel’s slick length. I felt him moving in and out. Fuck. It was everything. Somehow I managed to her get the friction she needed, but I was unravelling with her, both of us calling out names in a jumble of sounds that ended in high pitched moans of ecstasy. They were closely followed by a low, drawn out groan as Amenadiel let himself go and became still.

Maze let her body fall down on top of mine and Amenadiel sat back on his heels, his glistening cock pointing up at the ceiling. She kissed me, passionately, lovingly, and then slid to one side with a grin. 

“So does this mean we're all dating now?” he asked.

“You and Linda can be dating. I'm still not putting labels on it.”

“Why not?” I said. “Labels are just words, they can't hurt or bind you. I know you don't want-”

“Was she this bad when you were dating behind my back?” Maze interrupted. “No matter how amazing the sex is, she always has to talk afterwards.”

Amenadiel chuckled, a deep, throaty sound. “She was. But I always found it endearing.” 

She groaned and buried her face in his chest. “I am going to be stuck listening to the two of you being all sappy every time we all have sex?”

“So you do want to keep doing this then?”

She lifted her face and frowned at him like it was dumbest question ever. “Yeah! Of course. This is far too good to stop.”

“So you’ll be staying?” I said, perhaps a little too eagerly. “For how long?”

“Indefinitely. Though I reserve the right to change my mind if you two start making me nauseous with all the feelings crap.”

“Noted. And you?” I turned the question to Amenadiel.

“I may not be able to stay here all the time, but I promise that I will undertake any business I need to attend to as quickly as angelically possible.”

“Good,” Maze said. “Now if that’s all settled, can I _please_ watch you two fuck?”

“Are you sure?” I asked. I didn’t want her to feel left out again.

“Yes. You’re still mine, even if I’m sharing. Besides I’m going to get a kick out of seeing you guys enjoying each other.”

Amenadiel bent to kiss me. “I hope you’re ready for more,” he whispered in my ear.

My head was still spinning, but why should that stop me? “Mmmm. Yes please.”

“Good. Because I need you.” 

He lowered himself onto me, but I had a sudden thought. “Condom!”

“No longer necessary,” he grinned, but then added, “unless, you know, you feel more comfortable-”

I grabbed his shaft, wrapped my legs around him and pulled him in deep. His technique with me was a complete change from how he was with Maze. His hips curled slowly, his chest pressed against mine. Her arm met mine across his back, her face right next to ours, all of us breathing together. I could feel his girth stretching me; I was glad I was so wet, but I was also swollen with desire and every time he moved the sensations almost overwhelmed me. He took his time and kept it slow, playing with the intense sensitivity left from Maze’s efforts. Every nerve seemed to be tingling. He tilted and angled, smiling at my pleasure when I gasped and groaned and pushed back. I felt my body stirring, gradually building back up towards a second climax. Still he didn’t rush, and it was exquisite.

“Now,” she whispered in his ear, but not so quietly I couldn’t hear. She pushed my hand up his back to rest on his neck, and he pushed up with his arms to brace himself. With nothing more than a roll of his shoulders, the room filled with silver. His wings were huge, covering the entire bed and then some.

“Wow!” I breathed, truly awestruck. “You’re magnificent!” My fingers reached up, hovering with the desire to feel them but unsure if I should.

Maze beat me to it, trailing her hand into the feathers, making him quiver all over. His response made me bold, and ran my fingers over the amazing softness. The arches were as broad as his shoulders, and I could feel the strength of the muscles underneath. They radiated another kind of power too, an energy that made my nerves sing. He moved his hips, and I almost blasphemed. I thought I’d trained myself out of that habit, but _holy fuck_ it felt so amazing. Maze’s body was rocking against us, and she pressed her hand deeper. I followed her lead, delving further in to find they were even softer underneath. My fingers curled and twined, and he moaned and buried himself into me. Amenadiel wrapped us up in feathers; it wasn't so much like a blanket as it was an enormous embrace. Maze twisted and writhed. The wings were affecting her somehow, fuelling her need. I unhooked a leg from him and she snatched it up and rubbed against it eagerly. Part of me wanted just to grab his ass and hold on, but I couldn't drag my hands from where they were, lost in perfect grace. As I grasped and squeezed, he thrust faster but just as deep. My body grew tense all over. I could tell he was getting close too. Even Maze was chewing her lip. Just as the tightening of my walls around his cock was almost unbearable, the pleasure crashed over me. I spasmed, shaking with the release as electricity shot through me. He kept moving, and before the wave had subsided completely it broke over me again, a long rolling ecstasy that filled every corner of my being. I was vaguely aware of Maze reaching her own peak beside me, whispering inarticulately and then keening as she ground her hips into my thigh. Then, with a sudden rush of wind, his wings left us and arched upwards, the tips grazing the ceiling. His final deep push into me sent my nerves on fire one more. His entire body was stretched taut and he cried out in a language unlike any I'd ever heard. I _felt_ him release into me- the pulsing and the flood of wetness. It was satisfying in more than just a sexual way; it was a kind of binding like the runes on my shoulder. A symbol that he was mine, and I was his. We belonged together, all of us. A union of three different realities, a trinity of our realms: Heaven, Earth, Hell. It was mind boggling that I was a part of it, but luckily my brain was taking a holiday and right now my heart was in control.

We lay in a boneless pile, draped in silver feathers once more. We kissed and languished, but none of us had any words, even me. I have no idea how long we stayed like that. We shifted gradually. Amenadiel eventually rolled off me and back onto Maze. He began making love to her slowly, tenderly. I held her hand and kissed her face, and she looked like she might weep. I told him to stop, but she held him tight. “Stay!” she gasped.

“Maze, is everything all right?” I asked her softly.

She nodded. “I just… it's a lot.”

Amenadiel wrapped his arms under her and sat up on his heels, with her straddling his lap, still joined. “Give me your hand.” He held it between them and curled a wing around. The feathers on in the leading edge looked sharper than her daggers. “Would you mark me too? Like you marked her?”

She looked at him, incredulous. “With my name? So all your family will see?”

“Yes. I want to be yours too. Also, I think it would look really badass.”

That made her smile, and I knew it was a clever attempt to relieve her from the intensity of all the emotion. 

“Are you sure this isn't going to start any wars or bring about the end of the world?”

He tilted into her. “Do you care if it does?”

“Hhmmmmm. I guess not.” She ran her finger over the bladed pinion, slicing it neatly so that the blood oozed out. “Linda, get close, I want you to be a part of this too.”

I knelt behind her, pressing my skin to her back, my arms around her waist.

“Closer,” she panted. My hand went down her back and underneath; my fingers creeping up into her, right alongside the thickness of Amenadiel’s cock. His eyes went wide in surprise, but then narrowed in pleasure as I stroked him. Maze groaned happily, and I wondered at how much she could take. Much more than a mortal, certainly. “That's better,” she said.

Her hand waited a moment over his chest, and he gave her a nod. She painted the same series of symbols right over his heart, rising up and down as she did so. He took her face in both hands and kissed her, acknowledging her claim. Then she draped her arms over his shoulders and rode us both until she collapsed back into my chest, trembling and shaking. I leant into her weight, determined to drag it out as much and I could, and get Amenadiel into the bargain. It worked. He spilt over my fingers while she was still quivering, and then settled and wrapped us in his wings again. I fell against them and he supported me- both of us as she was still resting on my front. The ache that had been building up in my arm receded, my energy mysteriously restored.

“Mine!” she declared, and I knew she meant both of us.

“I love you too,” I told her.

“So do I,” Amenadiel agreed, caressing her face.

She was clearly too far gone to raise any objections.

We lay naked in each other’s arms all night, rousing time and again to make love and then fall back exhausted and replete. Together they took me to heights I'd never known. The emotional connection gave us a deeper kind of passion, a longing for closeness as well as pleasure. We took our fill of it, binding our souls a little tighter each time, until not even the wings could revive me, and I began to doze. Just before I fell asleep completely, some picky corner of my brain came up with a question. It was a question I decided would simply have to wait for the next day. Or possibly the day after that.

_What on earth was I going to tell Lucifer?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost there.  
> One final chapter remains.


	16. Double Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At LUX, Linda tells Lucifer the good news.  
> A stray Dan appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, I did it! I completed more than four chapters! Is there a badge for that?  
> HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGGEEEE thankyou to my beta, FluffyGlitterPantsDragon (just in case I haven't said it enough) because she is so awesome and I could never have done all this without her. Go and read her stuff if you haven't already. It's all gorgeous.  
> Thank you to everyone who has been reading, the 82 (!!!!!!) of you who subscribed to this fic (holy cow my stats page rocks now, I am in love with that bar chart!), all my regular subscribers, commenters, and everyone who hits the kudos button. You all make me so happy every day!

I awoke the next morning with the feel of Maze curled up behind me, and a warm, grey angel wing for a blanket. She was nuzzling into my hair, her breathing shallow. The wing was moving too, gently back and forth. Had they even stopped to sleep? I reached back and stroked her thigh lazily, running my hand back onto his hip and pushing my butt back against them. 

Maze kissed my shoulder. “Morning, sexy.” Her fingers traced over my belly and down between my legs. 

Amenadiel’s arm curled around my waist and squeezed us together even tighter. I could feel the way he moved to push up into her. “Hello, beloved,” he purred. I could get used to starting the day like this.

 

A long time later, after I started to wonder if I was ever going to be able to get anything done ever again, Maze remembered that I needed to eat something that wasn't produced by inhuman flesh. Amenadiel tied a towel around his waist and said he'd get breakfast. 

“You know, you're going to need to get dressed eventually,” I told him, after I was up enough to join him in the kitchen. 

“I know. I've got clothes back at my place, I can get them when I need to.”

“While naked?”

“Why not? It's not like anyone's going to see me when I'm flying through frozen moments.”

My naked angel flying through L.A. while everyone was oblivious. That was an entertaining thought. I sipped my coffee and checked my phone. 

“Hey Maze!”

She walked out in her underwear. I took a moment to love my life.

“Chloe wants to meet up for a double date.”

“What are you going to tell her?”

“Good question.” I thought about it. Best just to be honest about it and get it over with. “Yes, but only if we can we bring our new boyfriend too.”

Amenadiel grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

“It'll do,” Maze relented. “Mostly because I want to see the look on Lucifer's face when he sees us all together.”

Amenadiel’s grin broadened. He gazed up at the ceiling and I could tell he was picturing it. I sent the message, saying that I had other good news too, and we sat around eating cereal. Maze was going to have to start buying her own vodka. At least I knew she'd never use up the last of the milk.

 

We met at LUX. Maze looked stunning, as always, with thigh boots and a minidress. Amenadiel had been banned from hoodies and looked quite dashing in his plain shirt. I had opted for a tight skirt and an off the shoulder blouse, because I wanted to show I was proud of my mark.

Our two friends were already at the bar sipping whisky (or rather chugging, in Lucifer's case), gazing at each other with sparkling eyes. I wondered if the three of us looked as sickening to everyone else. Chloe saw us walking over and waved. Lucifer turned and spluttered into his tumbler. He'd recovered his composure by the time we got to the bar.

“Well,” he drawled, “aren't you two cute with your matching tattoos?”

“Sorry, I was going to warn you, but they insisted on seeing your face.”

“And it was totally worth it,” Maze said smugly.

“I'm not sure whether to be delighted or disturbed. And your self-satisfied smirk isn't helping, brother.”

“Oh Luci, get over it. We've all got what we wanted, you included.”

“Yes, but it seems some of us being a tad bit greedy.” His eyes flicked to each of us over the top of his glass.

“Yes. I'm being greedy,” I admitted. “But you were right, your Dad’s an interfering-” I changed my tack as I suddenly considered Amenadiel “-deity, and you're not the only one he's been trying to set up.”

“Jolly good.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Dear old Dad pulling strings to ruin my life again.”

“Not exactly. This was more between me and Him.” I took a seat at the bar next to Lucifer, politely asking my lovers to give us a moment. This was not going to be easy. I could have come up with a cover story to smooth things over, but the truth was important to Lucifer and he deserved that. “I need you to promise not to freak out.”

He took Chloe's hand and she nodded encouragingly. 

“Your Dad came to see me yesterday.”

I waited for the response. His eyes burned and he kept his mouth firmly shut. I waited while he got the rage under control.

“I may have ranted at Him. A lot. Anyway, turns out He'd missed one or two important facts.” His eyebrows shot up at that, but he still didn't speak. “The result of the conversation being that He's decided that the curse of Cain is void, and no further vengeance will be forthcoming.”

Lucifer sat back and downed the rest of his whisky. Patrick was swiftly there with another.

“This is good news, right?” Chloe asked, confused. “Why doesn't everyone seem more happy about this?”

“Because, light of my life, Dad doesn't do talking these days. He abandoned me a very long time ago and I haven't heard from Him since. I'm rather offended that He's gone behind my back to talk to my therapist.”

“I think you're perfectly entitled to feel that way. But there's more.”

“Go on.”

“He was… shall we say, miffed about what Cain did. To Amenadiel and Charlotte. Turns out He remembered her as your Mom’s-” what was the word? “-vessel. So He wanted to reward you for getting rid of him.”

Lucifer turned and stared at me in utter confusion. “He what?”

“He asked me what you wanted. So I told him. To be left alone. To have time with Chloe. Maybe even…” I almost didn't say it. Looking into the eyes of the Devil, I realised how much I'd been stretching my luck. “Maybe undo the banishment, so you wouldn't have to lose her.”

He blinked at me. 

“He agreed, Lucifer.”

He emptied his glass into his mouth, stared at it for a few moments, and then hurled it straight at the bar, smashing a bottle of blue liqueur to pieces. Patrick ducked out the way as shards flew down, and a gasp went up from the gathered patrons. Then he stood and swept Chloe into his arms, pressing his face into her neck, squeezing her like he would never let go.

If it weren't for her, I don't think he could have coped with the news at all. It went against everything he'd been for so long. He'd been hurt so badly, the anger and the pain were the buttresses that supported his identity. And what I'd just told him would cause them to crack. 

But she had given him a new identity, a new sense of self that took his experiences and used them for good. She saw all that he could be, and now she would always be there to help him on that journey.

When he'd sufficiently wrestled all his feelings back into the box where he kept them hidden, he let her go and turned back to the bar. “Patrick. Everyone gets a free drink. I'm celebrating. Mostly.” He turned back to me. “So what's this got to do with you and Maze making my brother the meat in middle of a sexy lady sandwich?”

I tried to swallow the dirty laugh.

“No thank you, Doctor, you can spare me the details.”

“Apparently your Dad was satisfied with my advice. He wanted to reward me too. So He sent His eldest son all wrapped up in a pretty little bow. Maze spent ten minutes in a glorious attempt to kick his ass, but we worked it out.”

“So I see. And I take it from the blood runes that she's keeping both of you?”

“We're all keeping each other.”

His face grew wistful, briefly, but then he looked at Chloe again and smiled. It was a look that said, _I might occasionally miss the orgies, but this is better._

“Just promise you won’t let it affect our sessions.”

“I promise.”

“And never, ever start calling me Lucy.”

“Okay.”

 

We all sat together in a booth, Chloe and I at one end, catching up on girl talk. Not exactly comparing notes, because she was a bit more private than that, but she wasn’t too shy to admit that she was enjoying certain aspects. Still, she was already discovering that being the Devil’s girlfriend came with a whole world full of challenges. “We may have to book you in for some couple’s sessions. Before I get to the point where I actually need to strangle him.”

“Yes. Because you are the only human in the world who could do that.” I may have had a drink or two.

“I know, right? And that in itself is just _huge._ But not nearly as huge as the idea that we can be together for literally eternity.”

“I know, it seems like a lot. Especially as it’s only been a week. But you don’t need to think that far ahead, just concentrate on the now.”

“But I want to. Think about eternity I mean. With Lucifer. How many people get to know, without doubt, that get they get to be with the person they love, forever? How can I be scared of that commitment when I know that he’s it for me?”

“I guess that’s all good then,” I smiled for her, but it got me thinking.

Beside us, Lucifer and Amenadiel were bickering about their Father, and whether Lucifer should try talking to Him again. Maze was sat watching all of us, one leg crooked up beside her and a drink in her hand. Already that look had returned to her eye. The one that told me she wanted to devour me. Something told me I might get dragged into a bathroom stall after all. Or possibly it might be me doing the dragging. Not that either of us would need literal dragging but…

The thought dwindled away as Dan walked up to our table and stood there fidgeting. Where did he come from? He looked like he was going to say something to Chloe, but then his eyes travelled along the line of faces and his jaw tightened. Devil. Angel. Demon. “Dan?” I drew his attention back. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

“Yeah,” he said, bringing himself back to the moment. “I think my brain caught up a bit and there was something I needed to ask. About Charlotte.”

I nudged Chloe and we both scooched up to make room. He took the place, and Lucifer waved a hand in the air signalling for a drink.

“About her lost time.”

I sobered quickly. I glanced at the celestial boyfriends, but neither of them seemed particularly comfortable with the idea of explaining. Great. That left it up to me.

“Dan, I’m sorry, but… she died.”

“No, she wasn’t dead, she was walking around, we-” he stopped himself suddenly.

“That wasn’t Charlotte. She was somewhere else. The Charlotte you knew was given a second chance at life, and it made a difference.”

He looked at me, and shook his head. “No. What you’re saying, that doesn’t mean anything. It makes no sense.”

Lucifer leaned towards him. “Let me simplify it for you. Charlotte died. Her body was possessed by my Mum, who walked around in it causing mayhem for several months. Mum left, Charlotte came back, got her second chance and went to the Boring Place. But Boring is better than where she was before.”

Dan swallowed. He sat for a moment, and I could almost see a spinning blue circle as his brain processed the last four sentences. Everyone waited.

“I slept with your mother?” he blurted out at last.

“Yes,” Lucifer said smoothly. “I keep trying not to think about it.”

“Yeah, but you're…” he gestured up and down wildly. “And I slept with your mom, who is... Oh God.”

“No that's Dad. Trust me he's a lot less entertaining.” 

His frantic gesticulating abruptly ceased as a further, unexpected implication took hold. “I am so totally screwed.”

Luckily, at that point, Patrick showed up with a tray of drinks. Dan knocked back a glass of whisky and then stared in wonder at the empty vessel. “That's good.”

Lucifer refilled it from his personal flask. “This is better. Let yourself taste it this time.”

He sipped it and his eyes went wide. “Wow. It is. I suppose if I'm going to be damned anyway, I might as well hang for a sheep as for a lamb.”

“The quality of the whisky will have no bearing on the fate of your soul, I can assure you,” Lucifer smiled, drinking from his own glass.

Dan stared again. “And you’d know, right?”

“We can discuss that later. I'm here to enjoy myself tonight. Or better yet, talk to Amenadiel about it. He'll probably have much more fun explaining how it all works. Wouldn't you brother?”

“Sure. I can do that. We could talk over coffee tomorrow.”

“This is life now, isn't it? Talking about Heaven and Hell with my buddy the angel over brunch.”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Chloe said, reaching over me to squeeze his hand. “With a demon for a babysitter and your ex-wife dating the Devil.”

“So that's official, now is it?”

“Yes,” she grinned.

“Congratulations?”

I lifted my own drink. “Cheers! Here's to interspecies relationships and the removal of curses and no one getting smited.”

“I'll drink to that,” Chloe clinked her glass against mine, and the rest of them joined in. Dan was decidedly quiet, his eyes stunned, but at least he was smiling, and among friends.

Maze was still giving me that look. I resisted for another ten minutes, out of respect for Dan and then excused myself. I touched her arm as I walked past. She smiled and followed.

No one questioned when we both walked into the same stall. This was LUX, no doubt this kind of thing happened all the time. Lucifer probably encouraged it. I pushed her up against the wall, but she pushed back, using just enough strength to pin me without hurting. Well, without hurting in any unpleasant way. Her tongue was in my mouth, and her hands were under my skirt. As soon as she'd managed to get my underwear out the way, she dropped to her knees. She fastened her lips and tasted me. I quivered all over, winding my fingers into her hair and trying to keep quiet. The things she did with that tongue, the suction around my clit felt too good. I whimpered and then moaned, and covered my mouth with my hand. With glinting eyes looking up at me, she took my wrist and pulled it downwards. She nodded, slow and deliberately, and went back to gripping my hips and licking me into a frenzy. I let my voice rise, and I saw the smile on her eyes. She wanted them to hear, to know what she was doing to me. She had no shame, in the most positive sense. With firm, steady strokes she brought me right to the edge, let me hover there for an exquisite minute of torment, and the send me plunging over it, crying out her name over and over. Her hands held me up past the point where by all rights my legs should have given way, and as I gasped for air, she stood up.

“Now I want you to pull down your skirt and go smile at our angel before that rosy glow vanishes from your cheeks.”

“What about you?”

“I'll be out shortly. I just need to check how badly you've messed up my hair.”

It did have nest-like qualities to it. I had pulled very hard. Knowing I couldn't hurt either of them gave me a sense of freedom. “Don't be too long, my love.”

Her eyes narrowed, daring me to get soppy about it. “Go on, Pinkie.”

I returned to the table, still smiling. Maybe a bit too much, by the way Lucifer raised his eyebrows. Amenadiel and Dan were already locked in discussion at one side of the table, though the poor man seemed to be struggling to make sense of it all. I don't think the rate at which he was putting away the scotch helped either. I sat back by Chloe, who also noticed my glow; she opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it again.

“What?”

“I was going to say ‘naughty’ but it's not, is it?”

“No, it's not.”

“So,” Lucifer grinned at her suggestively, “does that mean I get to pull you into the toilets for a quickie too?”

“Your version of a quickie probably takes at least half an hour. And by the time we were done I’m pretty sure half the club would be in there listening.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” 

“I feel a lot less self-conscious about these things than I did before, but I’m not quite ready for that.” Lucifer and I exchanged glances at the unspoken _yet_ that hung in the air.

“I’m going to leave you two to your girl chat,” he declared, and stood to make his way to the piano. She clutched his fingers as he passed, and the look they gave each other made me want to squeal with glee.

“I think dating Lucifer is going to keep stretching my boundaries as much as my muscles. But maybe he’s right, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”

“It’s really not. So long as you’re both enjoying yourselves.”

“Oh, that’s a given.”

I giggled, unable to resist probing for more. “And you’re having lots of orgasms?” I whispered, teasingly.

Her head fell back against the seat behind her and she grinned. “I’m having _all_ the orgasms. We both are. But it’s more meaningful than just that. I think you might have been right about it being the best sex in the history of ever.”

Maze came back, pushed past Dan to sit next to Amenadiel and kissed him. He licked his lips as they broke apart. What’s the bet my evil demon lover hadn’t cleaned out her mouth yet? “I’m not jealous,” I told her sincerely. “I’ve got two of them.”

She looked at me quizzically. 

“You want to know how that works, don’t you?”

“I have seen porn, you know.”

“I wasn’t talking about the technicalities. It works because we all care about each other. No one has to be jealous, because no one is getting left out. Even seeing the two of them kissing, I know I’m still a part of it.” 

“I can’t imagine ever wanting to share Lucifer.” 

“When it comes to the Devil, I wouldn’t rule anything out completely. So long as if you do, it’s with someone that you trust and care about.”

I don’t think she was conscious of it at all, but her eyes flicked to Dan. Now there was an idea. He was a long way from ready for that, but it had potential, once they’d all worked out a few issues.

“You realise that I still haven’t had the full version of how this all became a thing,” she pointed out. 

So I told her. In a roundabout way. I had to keep pausing to tell Maze to stop tormenting Dan with tales of the afterlife, because she was completely ignoring Amenadiel’s pleas for her to cease. It might have been an attempt to goad him into sex again. In the end, she dragged him off, through to a back room, and I realised I was right. When they came back, I could still taste him on her lips. By Hell, this woman was good. Suddenly, the evening couldn’t be over quick enough.

The way Chloe was staring at Lucifer as he sang, I think she had similar ideas in mind. Looking around the room, I could see we weren’t the only ones. His sexy aura was turned up to eleven. I don’t think he even noticed, Chloe was the only one he saw.

“You know what? I think Dan's had enough,” she said, seeing the way his elbow was almost collapsing under his head. “Maybe we should call him a taxi.”

“Don't worry, I got this,” Maze said unexpectedly. “Chloe has other stuff she she needs to do. Amenadiel, could you get Linda home and I'll see you there later?”

“You don't mind?” he asked carefully. 

“Nah. I think you guys need a chance to get reacquainted. And do all your sappy stuff without me getting nauseous.”

He put a hand on Dan’s shoulder. “Is that okay with you, Dan?”

“O’ly if she stops talkin’,” he slurred. He clasped his hand over Amenadiel’s. “Thanks angel-buddy. My buddy’s an angel.” He giggled to himself.

“He really is.” I gazed at him fondly. “Ooo, does this mean you’re going to fly me home?”

He nodded smugly. “Yes, angels can do that. Although not in the middle of Luci’s club.” 

 

We said our farewells to Lucifer and Chloe, who were itching to get upstairs and celebrate. We walked Dan back to the underground garage, and Amenadiel got him settled into the car, while I made sure Maze promised to be good. 

“You are awesome, you know that right?” I told her. 

“I know. Any particular reason you're pointing it out right now?”

I laughed softly. “So many to choose from! Helping out a friend; sharing me and giving the two of us time; incredible bathroom sex- take your pick.”

Her arms snaked around my middle. “Hmmm. I'm not so sure Dan would be quite so quick to call me friend.”

“I think you'd be surprised. He's just got a lot to deal with. And he's very protective about his daughter. Once he works out that you care about her too, he'll loosen up.”

“And I really am happy about Amenadiel joining us. I'm not going on another jealous freak out again. You're mine, but so is he. Sharing is caring.”

“Really? Did Trixie teach you that?”

“Yeah, actually, how did you know?”

“Wild guess.”

“See? You're smart. I like that about you.” She lent and nibbled my ear. “You're also delicious. Now go home, warm up the angel for me, and I'll see you there soon.”

“I love you.”

She grinned. “Mine. Now go home, Pinkie.”

She got into the car and drove away. Amenadiel was waiting. 

“I have a scary question,” I said tentatively.

He took my hands. “Go ahead.”

“I know once I die, I can’t come back here. And I know you took Charlotte up to Heaven, and so I’m pretty sure I’ve got a free pass up there too.”

“You need to ask that? Of course, Linda, not that you’ll need it.”

“Good, but that’s not my question.”

“Okay. What is?”

“What are the chances,” I sighed, knowing that he would probably go nuts. “Would it be possible to take me down to Hell, now and then, just for a visit?”

Amenadiel stared at me, his face grave. “You have no idea what you’re asking.”

“Actually, yes, I do. I’ve been counselling Lucifer for years, I know that Hell’s not somewhere I want to be. But I can’t say goodbye to Maze either.” My voice cracked, the thought was too much. “Maybe if I could see her there…”

Amenadiel wrapped me up in the strongest arms in the universe, and then mantled his wings over me. “I’ll think about it. But you’ll have to stay by my side the whole time, I don’t want that place to corrupt you. It’s full of such vile, terrible souls.”

I stroked his cheek, considering how different things were from his perspective. “Oh Amenadiel, you still see everything so black and white, don’t you? You forget what I do for a living. I look into the darkest places of people’s hearts, I’ve seen some pretty vile things already, and I know how to detach myself from it, how to help people out of it. You never know, maybe I could even do some good down there.”

Amenadiel laughed, a booming sound that echoed in the space with hope and mirth. “Because of course you want to redeem all the lost souls.”

“Well, maybe not all of them. But I’ve seen enough people eaten up with undeserved guilt to know that maybe some of them don’t really belong there.”

“I’ll find a way for you.” He kissed my hair, full of affection. “I promise you won’t have to say goodbye, but I can’t promise it will be what you’re hoping for. It’s being around humans that makes her the way she is. Once she’s back in Hell...”

“That’s all I ask. Thank you.” I wasn't so sure that she'd revert. She’d grown. Heck, she’d just volunteered to help out a friend, without even considering what she had to gain from it. She knew what love was, now, and real hope. I couldn't believe she was a soulless creature, not anymore. Otherwise, how could she be my soul mate? She was my guardian demon, so different and alien, but dark and beautiful. And mine. Ours. 

He kissed me gently, and his wings stood out behind him. “Are you ready?”

I looked up into eyes that were older than time, and saw love there. “I think I’m ready for anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And bring on the eighth of May! Wooooot!


End file.
